US Prevails in Suit Alleging Medicare Home Care Is Deficient

Medicare patients who rely on home-care services had their proposed class action complaining about HHS’ allegedly deficient program administration bounced.

The patients’ complaint didn’t identify what the US Health and Human Services Department could do to ensure that they receive Medicare-funded home-care services at the level they require, the US District Court for the District of Columbia said. It therefore dismissed the complaint for lack of standing because the plaintiffs didn’t satisfy the standing test’s “redressability” prong.

The Medicare program pays home health agencies to provide in-home care for beneficiaries with certain chronic conditions. The covered services range from skilled ...