Workstream is designed to tackle the unique challenges of managing hourly healthcare workers by automating and digitizing everything from hiring and team communications to engagement surveys and payroll so people operations management is in one place. With a mobile-first platform, clients can take their HR responsibilities on the go, making it easy for candidates to apply via text, and enables workers to access their personal information and communicate with managers and teammates through a handy app. Digital documents, signatures, and records keep data secure, up-to-date, and accessible. Engagement surveys help keep tabs on employee sentiment and prevent turnover before it’s too late. And Payroll is integrated, reducing the risk of errors and equipping you with the expert support you need to never miss a payday.

According to the 2024 Activated Insights Benchmarking Report, over the last two years, the home-based care turnover rate has increased by over 12% to reach a total of 79.2%. Employee recognition can help counter a high turnover rate. This makes it all more important to nominate your caregivers for the HCAOA Caregiver of the Year Award. It's free and your agency will get so much more in return. Employees that feel appreciated!

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society highlights challenges seniors face in accessing reliable home care information online. Researchers used Google to search common home care-related questions.

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators have introduced the Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2024 to enhance cybersecurity in the health care sector following the cyberattack on Change Healthcare earlier this year. The bill aims to improve readiness and response capabilities by directing collaboration between the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Health and Human Services (HHS), facilitating the sharing of cyber threat information and defense measures with non-federal entities. It also proposes establishing a dedicated liaison within CISA to support health care and public health sectors during cybersecurity incidents.

Don't miss out on $200+ in savings! The early bird registration deadline for the highly anticipated 2024 National Home Care Conference is fast approaching. Register by August 9 to secure the best rate for this premier event, which will take place October 28-29 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue. After August 9, the member registration fee increases to $1,475, and the non-member registration fee increases to $1,875.

Many employers struggle to comply with federal regulations issued by the DOL, NLRB, or the EEOC, especially when agency positions change. Last month, the Supreme Court overruled Chevron, USA Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council. Because of this decision, courts will now give statues their "best" interpretation, meaning agencies will have less leeway to write broad rules. Instead, they will have to write rules that are closer to statutory language. They may also have to defend some existing rules against closer scrutiny in court. And that closer scrutiny could upset some recently adopted or proposed rules, such as rules on overtime, safety inspections, and independent contracting.

Members of HCAOA generate 57% MORE revenue than non-members, according to the 2024 Activated Insights Benchmarking Report. This is up from an additional 45% in revenue in 2022, surpassing 75% of the industry. Keeping members apprised of federal and state advocacy issues impacting their business to educational resources through chapter meetings, the HCAOA National Home Care Conference, the Home Care Scheduler’s Virtual Symposium, and more provides members with important information to keep their operations running as efficiently as possible.

The House Committee on Education & the Workforce recently approved the Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act, H.R.2941, towards a potential House floor vote. This legislation, already passed by the Senate (S.1332), aims to establish a standard occupational classification (SOC) for direct support professionals (DSPs). Currently grouped under broader categories like home healthcare aides, DSPs lack specific workforce data, hindering efforts to address their critical shortage. Supporters argue that a SOC designation would enable better data collection, aiding policymakers in addressing workforce challenges and improving access to home- and community-based services (HCBS). Despite committee approval, some lawmakers have expressed concerns that the bill does not go far enough to address DSPs' wage, benefit, and safety concerns.

All home care agencies in Florida are invited to the HCAOA Florida Chapter Networking Lunch and Meeting on Thursday, August 8, in Orlando from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Join your colleagues to discuss the latest federal and state legislative proposals impacting home care, including the Medicaid 80/20 rule, the FTC non-compete ban, and the latest on registries in Florida. Representatives from the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will be on hand to share the latest insights on surveys and rules with non-skilled home care agencies and to discuss Medicare certification and other issues related to Private Duty Nursing (PDN) agencies.

HCAOA is proud to announce the return of the wildly popular virtual event designed specifically for home care providers and schedulers. The annual Home Care Schedulers Virtual Symposium: Strategies to Prepare for Unexpected Challenges & Tools to Help You Success will be held on Wednesday, September 18, from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET.

HCAOA reported in June that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that any authorization for community care, including home care, issued after June 28 will be for no more than 180 days in duration. HCAOA recently learned from VA leadership that on June 28, the VA delayed implementation of this change until a future, yet to be determined date.

HCAOA has partnered with Hellohire to present Supercharge Your Home Care Hiring: Unleash Automation for Lightning-Fast, High-Quality Recruitment webinar on July 25 at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Judge Ada Brown of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a preliminary injunction staying enforcement of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed final rule (Final Rule) banning most noncompete agreements in the United States. However, the court’s order is fairly limited as it prevents the FTC from enforcing it only against the plaintiffs (Ryan, LLC) before the Court. For all other employers, the Final Rule will still take effect on September 4, 2024, unless halted by pending legal challenges.

The median turnover rate for professional caregivers jumped two percentage points, from 77.1% in 2022 to 79.2% in 2023, according to the 2024 Activated Insights Benchmarking Report (formerly Home Care Pulse). This marks the highest turnover rate since 2018, where turnover peaked at 81.6%. According to the report, almost four out of every five caregivers will turnover within their first 100 days on the job – a staggering statistic for an industry struggling with recruitment and retention of caregivers since the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced that any authorization issued after June 28 will be for no more than 180 days in duration, and the VA will be monitoring claim and billing practices by home care agencies to ensure compliance.