HHHH CEO Clarifies Issues

To the Editor:

Thank you for the article about Harbors Home Health and Hospice in the May 8^th edition of the Herald (written by Kaitlynn Hager). We appreciate your support of our organization’s efforts to provide competent, coordinated, culturally sensitive care for all persons and their family members who are living with advanced or chronic illness. 

I would like to clarify a couple of statements in the article. Harbors Home Health and Hospice is not a branch of a national service but a locally owned, not-for-profit organization, governed by a 10 member Board of Directors. I would also mention and thank the six members of the Pacific County Advisory Council who serve as agency ambassadors to improve communication and services for Pacific County citizens.

I need to also address the issue of funding in the article. I referenced a potential financial hardship for Medicare patients if the federal government makes some of the proposed rule changes. Those changes potentially impose a $100 to $150 co-pay on Harbors Home Health and our patients. We are working through our national professional partners (National Association of Home Care & Hospice) to convince congress to stop these changes from becoming a reality. As of now, none of us know exactly what changes in the provision of health care will take place and how they may be funded.  In the meantime, Harbors Home Health & Hospice remains committed to the communities we serve!

Joel Stephens, CEO,

Harbors Home Health and Hospice,

Serving Pacific and Grays Harbor counties for over 30 years