President Obama uttered some remarks at a July 23 Shaker Heights, Ohio townhall meeting on healthcare reform that presented homecare as a cheaper alternative to hospital care.

“It is not an exercise in just cutting reimbursement rates. In fact, in some cases we may need higher reimbursement rates for certain aspects,” Obama said.  “I actually think home care ends up being cost-efficient in many cases rather than institutional care, and it helps keep people in their homes.”

Video of President Obama’s remarks can be seen two minutes and 15 seconds into an online video.

President Obama’s homecare comments come on the heels of a healthcare roundtable discussion that included former Senate Majority Leader and onetime HHS Secretary nominee Tom Daschle and Blue Dog Democrat Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), who both stressed the cost-effective role that homecare can play in the reform of the U.S. healthcare system. The meeting was attended by various members of the media and congress.

 “We can provide low-cost good quality access in part through home healthcare,” Daschle said at the meeting, in reference to the difference between the $7 daily cost to Medicare for home oxygen therapy, versus the $5,000 price tag of hospitalization. “Home health is by far the most effective way to start producing wellness promotion and primary care. …”  

 “We applaud the President’s recognition of homecare as a cost-effective alternative that reduces healthcare costs and allows millions of seniors to live in the comfort of their own homes,” said Tyler Wilson, president of the American Association for Homecare, which hosted the roundtable. “We urge Congress to recognize that homecare should be a critical component — not a casualty — of healthcare reform.”
 

Links:

Video of Obama remarks: http://videos.cleveland.com/plain-dealer/2009/07/obama_holds_town_hall_meeting.html