The New York Times today published a letter to the editor by HCA President Joanne Cunningham on federal health reform. She writes: “Home health care has received much attention lately as part of the national health reform debate … these services are a vital component of the health system, caring for the elderly, people with disabilities and the chronically ill, and helping patients avoid higher cost service use, like acute-care emergency room visits, lengthier inpatient stays or premature nursing home admission.”