Last week, the HCAOA Illinois Chapter’s advocacy efforts to expand the services that home services agencies are permitted to do paid off, when Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) approved most of the changes proposed by the Chapter. JCAR is the legislative committee in Illinois whose role is to ensure that the General Assembly is adequately informed of how laws are implemented through agency rulemaking and to facilitate public understanding of rules and regulations.
 
The Illinois Chapter took the lead on negotiations between stakeholders and the Illinois Department of Public Health to implement needed revisions to the existing regulations.  The discussions with IDPH focused on expanding the scope of non-medical services permitted to be completed by licensed home service agencies and their home service workers.   

On May 10, 2022, Governor John Carney signed into law the Healthy Delaware Families Act, adding Delaware to an expanding list of jurisdictions with a paid family and/or medical leave (PFML) requirement. The law creates a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program funded through employer and employee contributions.
 
PFML contributions will begin to be required in 2025, and covered employees will be able to access benefits in 2026. The Delaware Department of Labor plans to issue regulations implementing the law. In the interim, the following briefly highlights who and what the law covers. Learn More

HCAOA members and VP of Government Relations Eric Reinarman met with several members of the Michigan Legislature last week in a continuing quest to get providers properly reimbursed for their care of those seriously injured in catastrophic car accidents.

Michigan members continue to make headway in educating state lawmakers about the serious impact the Auto No-Fault Insurance reform has had on providers and auto accident victims. This reform inadvertently included home care providers and has resulted in dramatic cuts of up to 45% in insurance reimbursement to providers who care for those who’ve been grievously injured in car accidents. 

Join us next week on June 1 at the Crowne Plaza Edison Hotel, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. to learn how to handle the legalization of cannabis in New Jersey, and also hear an update on chapter advocacy efforts and a licensing update from the Department of Community Affairs. 

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Below is a quick look at the rest of this meeting’s agenda:

The Long-Term Quality Alliance and ATI Advisory released a policy report last week highlighting three top recommendations for Congress to advance non-medical benefits in Medicare Advantage (MA).
 
The report notes that the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act made strides in advancing holistic care to improve the quality of life for Americans with complex medical needs. In addition, the Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) gave MA the flexibility to address the diverse needs of these individuals, but according to the report, they believe three policy recommendations would advance these supplemental benefits to improve upon the framework already in place.

Milbank Memorial Fund has produced a white paper that looks at the challenges home care aides face and outlines administrative, funding, policy, and regulatory efforts that states can use to address the critical workforce shortage. 
 
Founded in 1905, Milbank supports innovative public sector leaders who are committed to making long-term, sustainable commitments to the health of all Americans. 
 
Click here for the report.

​Nominations are now open for the HCAOA 2022 Caregiver of the Year Award. Recognize one of your top caregivers for their compassion and commitment to providing exemplary care to your clients and their families. HCAOA’s goal is to have at least half of our members nominate a caregiver for this prestigious award.

​The nomination process is streamlined so that it’s easy and fast to submit your best caregiver.  

Tracking the performance of your agency is a key strategy for growing your agency. When you have metrics to evaluate your services and measure your profitability, you can create a framework for the future of your agency.
 
Join Andrea Cohen of HouseWorks to hear insights that will steer you toward long-term growth in the Home Care Master Class on Thursday, June 9.

HCAOA’s Vicki Hoak opened the news conference stating that today older Americans and people with disabilities cannot access the care and support they need to remain as independent as possible in their own homes. 

Here are the top three reasons to attend this year’s Annual Leadership Conference:

1. It’s been too long! 
   The last HCAOA national conference was held in 2019, so it’s time to gather again! Over the course of two days, attendees will have more than 16 sessions that provide essential information on improving agencies’ operations, care, and employee and client satisfaction.

​It's no secret that an agency's scheduler or care coordinator often sets the tone for the entire organization! Their professionalism and problem-solving skills impact all aspects of a home care company's operations, most importantly caregiver and client satisfaction. That’s why HCAOA will once again hold a webinar exclusively for individuals in these positions. 
 
For the third year in a row, HCAOA will hold this virtual session, which continues to grow in participation to the point where it is now officially named the Annual Home Care Schedulers and Care Coordinators Summit.
 
This year’s summit will feature veteran schedulers from around the U.S. who will share strategies for success in the interactive webinar on July 14, from 2-3:30 ET.

​Register now for the Entrepreneur Academy and learn how to effectively engage with your clients to create memorable, positive experiences that build trust and confidence in your agency.

This MBA-style academy provides insight into your behavioral tendencies and human interactions, enabling you to have a deeper understanding of yourself and how to engage others.
 
The program was built for busy professionals. Here are some ways it can work for you:

• Self-paced flexible one-year program
• Talent Insight Assessment to uncover your strengths and weaknesses
• Entrepreneur toolbox at your disposal
• Weekly topic discussions with fellow classmates
• Dynamic group coaching model
• Over 30 hours of learning opportunity
• Personal leadership strategic plan for the future

 
Click here to learn more about the program. When you are ready to register, email [email protected] to get the code for the discounted price of $999. You can start the program any time through September 30 and will have one year to complete from that date.