Study of the Impact of Monitoring the Health Outcomes for Disabled

This study examines the impact of changes in Medicare home health policy mandated by the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 on satisfaction with care for disabled Medicare beneficiaries. The BBA mandated major changes in home health payment requiring the implementation of a Prospective Payment System (PPS) and an Interim Payment System (IPS) prior to the implementation of PPS. It also contained changes in eligibility and coverage for home health services. These changes, while intended to reduce Medicare home health costs, run the risk of reducing beneficiaries' access to care and adversely affecting the quality of care provided. Of special concern are those Medicare beneficiaries who may need the most care. As an especially vulnerable group, disabled Medicare beneficiaries are an important group to study as insights gleaned can be used to help formulate national home health care policy for the disabled. [87 PDF pages]