Carol Elrod, AT Home Care’s Director of Continuing Quality Improvement, returned from the VAHC leadership conference in Staunton, ready to take on Capitol Hill. The focus of the meetings were how to meet the increased government demands on home health agencies which threaten reimbursement for services.  In an effort to step up collections of money on perceived overpayments to providers, aggressive strides are being taken to accelerate the recouping of Medicare dollars that have already been paid to home health agencies.  CMS is adopting a massive recovery audit program by employing RACs (Recovery Audit Contractors) to flag claims where they perceive any discrepancy.  These independent medical collection agencies, RACs, are hired by CMS and paid a fee as an incentive to find overpayments.  Elrod believes that Congress needs to be educated about these programs which unfairly target honest home health care agencies.   She has already written her congressmen about the benefits of home health care verses long term stays in hospitals and nursing homes.  She encourages everyone to join her in writing their national representatives by using the Virginia Association for Homecare website www.vahc.org.  Select Legislative Action Center and follow the prompts to congressmen’s emails.  Everyone can get involved and make a difference!