Home Health Agency Buys Physician House Call Practice

A Philadelphia-based home health agency recently acquired a two-physician house call practice, reports an August 27, 2012, American Medical News article. The article states that being employed by a home health agency may offer physicians financial stability and that home health agencies may benefit by being better able to implement aspects of healthcare reform. In fact, the Medicare requirement for face-to-face physician encounters within 30 days of the beginning of home health services is cited as one reason for the purchase in this case. In addition, although the agency does not plan to participate in an accountable care organization (ACO), it hopes that its physician availability will make the agency more attractive to partners that are interested in participating in ACOs or generally reducing readmissions.