Proclamation 5000—National Home Health Care Week, 1982

In recent years, home health care has rapidly gained acceptance as an important and successful element of high quality care. Many Americans have found that caring for the needs of our sick at home or in a community setting is not only as effective as in an institution, but that it is less costly and often more desirable for the patient. Communities, together with States and the Federal government, have begun building integrated networks to provide care for the elderly and disabled in homes and in the community.

Federal expenditures on Medicare and Medicaid, two of government's largest programs serving the elderly, poor, and disabled, are expected to exceed $75 billion in 1983, about two out of every ten dollars spent on health care in this nation. Over the past fourteen years, the number of home health agencies participating in Medicare has increased by two-thirds, and there are now more than 4,000 certified providers of home care. My Administration has initiated reforms and expansions of home health care benefits provided under Medicare to complement this work.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, in accordance with Senate Joint Resolution 113, do hereby designate the week of November 28 through December 4, 1982, as National Home Health Care Week, and I call upon government officials, citizens, and interested organizations and associations to observe this week with appropriate activities.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of Nov., in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eightytwo, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventh.

RONALD REAGAN