A new program to support dementia patients and caregivers is set to launch July 2024. This webinar will explore the new federal program — Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model — that will reimburse providers managing dementia care for patients and their caregivers.

September 27, 2023, 2 p.m. ET

Register for the webinar HERE.

On Monday, Governor Ned Lamont announced that beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, Connecticut’s minimum wage will increase from the current rate of $15.00 per hour to $15.69 per hour as a result of the state’s first-ever economic indicator adjustment. The newly enacted adjustment is required under Public Act 19-4, which implemented five incremental increases in the minimum wage between 2019 and 2023, followed by future adjustments that are tied to the percentage change in the federal employment cost index (ECI).

Are you attending the 2023 HCAOA National Home Care Conference in Chicago but haven’t booked your hotel room yet? Act quickly! The September 30 deadline for the special discounted hotel reservation rate of $229 plus tax per night at the Hilton Chicago is approaching fast. To secure this discounted rate, please visit the 2023 HCAOA Conference hotel reservation page or call (312) 922-4400. Be sure to mention your attendance at the HCAOA National Home Care Conference when making your reservation. After September 30, the hotel room rates will increase, so don't wait any longer to secure your accommodations.

A bill called "Higher Wages for American Workers Act of 2023" (S.2785) was introduced on September 13, 2023, to increase the federal minimum wage to $11 an hour over the next four years. The legislation also includes a provision mandating using E-verify to ensure that the wage increase benefits only legally eligible workers. The bill aims to adjust the minimum wage for inflation every two years and offers a slower phase-in for businesses with fewer than 20 employees. This bill is a renewed attempt to raise the minimum wage after a similar proposal in 2021 did not gain traction in the Senate. Many states already have higher minimum wage rates, which automatically adjusts at regular intervals.

​On Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed that non-medical homecare agencies are approved providers for the purpose of CNA recertifications. However, this was not the case two months ago when Credentia, the vendor for the department, had removed home care agencies as approved providers. Now that the issue has been resolved, CNAs who work for home care agencies and were unable to renew their license will be notified by Credentia in the coming weeks.

​HCAOA is proud to announce the Top 16 Finalists for the 2023 Caregiver of the Year Award.  The overall Caregiver of the Year will be announced during the 2023 National Home Care Conference [https://www.hcaoa.org/national-home-care-conference.html] on October 24, 2023. The Caregiver of the Year will receive a $2,000 cash award and an all-expenses paid trip to Chicago for the conference to be recognized in front of industry leaders.

Nominations are now being accepted for nine open seats on the HCAOA Board of Directors - six for independent agency members and three for a corporate member representative. Nominations are due next Friday, September 29, 2023. Support the home care industry and affect the future of home care by applying to serve on the Board, which includes corporate and independent home care industry leaders to best represent the membership. The Board guides and influences the national conversation about home care, industry standards, workforce shortage solutions, affordability, and financing care.

During the last week of the legislative session in California, both houses of the legislature approved SB 525 (Durazo), a bill that would raise the hourly minimum wage for workers at health care facilities, as defined, to $23 next year, $24 in 2025, and $25 in 2026.

Under the bill, the phased-in minimum wage hike would cover all employees of covered health care facilities, including cleaning and maintenance staff, food service workers, gift shop workers, medical coders, and nursing assistants – although not all would see an immediate raise.

A significant challenge in the home care industry is the "sea of sameness" among providers. Most agencies offer similar services, making it challenging for consumers to choose the right provider for their loved ones. However, this challenge presents an opportunity for specialization to cater to specific populations and their unique needs.

​HCAOA member Legally Nanny, a leading law firm representing home care agencies, nanny agencies and family employers, is celebrating 20 years in business this year. Attorney and former HCAOA Board Member Bob King started the firm as a part-time law practice helping California families hire nannies. Shortly thereafter, people started contacting him seeking help with home care issues, and now the firm represents thousands of home care agencies throughout the U.S. Bob has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal and CNN, interviewed on Entertainment Tonight, and speaks and writes about home care legal issues. We hope you can join him and say hello at his upcoming speech at HCAOA's conference next month. Congratulations Legally Nanny!

The California State Legislature passed a bill (SB 616) that, if signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would require employers in California to provide workers with five days of sick leave per year, up from the current three days mandated by law. The California Association of Health Facilities (CAHF) opposes the legislation, expressing concerns about the increased costs for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and the lack of accompanying funding to cover these expenses. CAHF emphasizes that SNFs largely rely on government payers and fears potential challenges in hiring staff to meet mandatory staffing standards due to ongoing workforce issues. The bill is supported by the California Labor Federation and SEIU California, with proponents arguing that it enables workers to prioritize their health without financial strain, while opponents contend that many small businesses, still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, may struggle to afford the additional sick days.

A recent report from PHI, a New York-based direct care workers advocacy organization, highlights significant challenges faced by the growing direct care workforce in the United States. While the industry is expected to experience substantial growth over the next decade, issues such as low wages persist, exacerbating recruitment and retention problems within the home care industry. The research reveals that despite some wage growth due to state and federal investments in Medicaid funding, wage growth has slowed significantly, with the median hourly wage for direct care workers increasing by only $0.07 per hour in 2021 and $0.02 per hour in 2022.

Stay informed about changes in minimum wage that can affect your business. Today's session promises to be filled with valuable insights and strategies to ensure compliance.

Webinar Date: Wednesday, September 20th
Webinar Time: 10:30 a.m. ET

To join the webinar, simply click: Preparing for Minimum Wage Changes

HCAOA is proud to announce Jason R. Lee as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective October 2, 2023. Lee will succeed Vicki Hoak, HCAOA CEO for the past four years, who will continue to contribute her expertise as CEO Emeritus through the end of October.

​​Lee brings over 20 years of experience in advocacy and nonprofit management. His background includes a tenure as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the President at the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), where he played a pivotal role in helping to guide the $30 million national organization representing academic dentistry and shape the association's strategic direction. Additionally, Lee served as Chief Advocacy and Strategy Officer at the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) in Arlington, VA. While at AFP, he also held positions as Interim President and CEO, General Counsel, and Director of Government Relations. Before joining AFP, Jason was a lobbyist for Alcalde & Fay and held legislative positions with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).

Last week, ATI Advisory, LTQA, and the SCAN Foundation released a report analyzing the variability in Medicare Advantage non-medical supplemental benefit offerings by geography and metro/non-metro areas. The goal of the analysis is to expand the stakeholder understanding of benefit offerings across the country. Included in the Executive Summary of the report is the most-commonly offered nonmedical benefits in metropolitan counties, which is Food & Produce (13 plans), while In-Home Support Services (IHSS) is the most common in micropolitan (8 plans) and rural counties (6 plans).