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Senator Jerry Moran Makes Home Health Care Visit
Overland Park, KS 2/7/11 – Senator Jerry Moran made
a visit to a patient receiving Home Health Care on
Monday, February 7, 2011 in the Overland Park area
in order to better understand the wide range of
services and cost effectiveness of Home Health.
Kansas
Home Care Association, the state-wide trade
association representing Home Health and Hospice
agencies, hosted the visit. St. Luke’s Health System
Home Health President, Carol Quiring set up the
visit between Joanne Weger, a physical therapist and
Mr. Gene Wilmoth. Mr. Wilmoth receives physical
therapy three times a week in his home at the Santa
Marta retirement community, after a knee
replacement. Since Mr. Wilmoth had surgery on his
right knee, he is unable to drive at this time, so
receiving his physical therapy in his home saves him
the cost of arranging for transportation and the
fear of falling during bad weather. Mr. Wilmoth said
he was honored to have Senator Moran make a visit.
During the visit, Ms. Weger demonstrated to the
Senator some of the therapy she does with Mr.
Wilmoth. She explained to him the intense follow up
she must do to report Mr. Wilmoth’s progress to both
his physician and in order for CMS to pay St.
Luke’s. Senator Moran asked her how much time she
spent on paperwork as opposed to time with patients.
She responded that, not including drive time, she
spends approximately 20% of her time on paperwork.
Also at the visit was Ms. Quiring, Tim Van Zandt,
Director of Public Affairs for St. Luke’s Health
System and Jane Kelly, Executive Director for Kansas
Home Care Association. They spoke with Senator Moran
about the variety of settings that utilize home
health care and the opportunities for expanding
telehealth. Ms. Kelly said, “We’ve visited with
Senator Moran on a number of occasions about the
cost savings, benefits and expanding the role of
home health in the health care continuum. We feel he
has a great understanding of the needs of seniors,
disabled and chronic care patients in Kansas. We are
happy that we could share a home visit with him.”
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