For Immediate Release
Lewiston, ME Andwell Health Partners Responds to National Moratorium in Home Health and Hospice
First and foremost, we want the patients and families we serve in home health and hospice to know that the actions taken by the Administration to impose a nationwide moratorium on home health and hospice will have no impact at all on the care and services provided by Andwell. Andwell Health Partners, formerly Androscoggin Home Health Care & Hospice and Hospice of Southern Maine have been providing services to Medicare beneficiaries for sixty years, and nothing about the moratorium will change our commitment to continue providing nonprofit healthcare for Maine people.
Andwell Health Partners supports efforts to protect the integrity of Medicare home health and hospice programs and appreciates the National Alliance for Care at Home’s continued advocacy on behalf of patients, families, and providers nationwide. As Maine’s largest independent nonprofit provider of home health, hospice, and community-based care, Andwell understands the importance of strong governmental oversight and accountability within these essential programs. At the same time, policies designed to address fraud must be carefully implemented to avoid unintended consequences for communities already facing workforce shortages, growing demand for care, and limited provider access; particularly in rural areas.
“Patients and families deserve both accountability and access,” said Ken Albert, President and Chief Executive Officer of Andwell Health Partners. “The overwhelming majority of providers are delivering compassionate, high-quality care in good faith every day. We support targeted, data-driven approaches that remove bad actors while preserving access to essential services for the people who depend on care at home.”
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a six-month national moratorium on certain new hospice and home health providers effective May 13. Current providers may continue delivering care without interruption. Andwell Health Partners will continue monitoring developments closely and advocating for policies that protect both program integrity and patient access to high-quality nonprofit care throughout Maine.
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Media Contact: Bre Beaulieu
Bre.beaulieu@andwell.org 207-508-1566
