 Mayor Bill Peduto signed a new Temporary COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Ordinance, which will become Section 626B of the City of Pittsburgh Code. It requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide up to 80 hours of emergency paid sick leave to full-time employees (and a proportional amount for part-time employees) for certain COVID-19-related reasons. 626B was passed as a new law, but it is nearly identical to Pittsburgh’s original Temporary COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (626A) that was in effect from December 8, 2020, through June 17, 2021. Though new 626B’s text largely mirrors that of 626A, there are some important differences. read more
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 Many HCAOA member agencies provide care to children with serious illnesses. Please be sure to share this new resource, The Circle of Care Guidebook for Caregivers of Children with Rare and/or Serious Illnesses, with your caregivers. The National Alliance for Caregiving in partnership with Global Genes and with support by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals recently released this guidebook to provide caregivers with the support, services, and specialized information they need to care for a child with a rare and/or serious illness. The guidebook offers an extensive list of resources to help a caregiver in any situation throughout the entirety of their journey as a rare disease caregiver, compiled by those in the rare disease space and caregivers themselves.
 HCAOA is excited to announce that we have confirmed Mark Butler, Georgia Commissioner of Labor, to attend the Georgia State Chapter Meeting on August 20. This meeting features a full agenda, including updates on the Medicaid rate increase and a discussion about the fingerprinting delay, as well as lunch and networking with colleagues. Click here to register.
 There is a lot happening in the home care industry right now when it comes to mergers and acquisitions, investments, and more! A few of the most recent stories making headlines include Cressey & Company, a private equity firm focused on health care services and information-technology businesses, making a significant investment in Home Care Pulse. In addition, last week, Honor, a home care startup, acquired HCAOA member Home Instead - one of the largest providers of personal home care in the country.
 The Washington Department of Health (DOH) announced it is ending its PPE backstop and is specifically calling out In-Home Services agencies to make requests for PPE now. Agencies can request up to a 90-day supply. The state PPE backstop has been available to help support state agencies, counties, tribes and other partners through the COVID-19 pandemic. As the state transitions from how PPE needs were met during the peak of this pandemic, DOH is working to get PPE to the local level, where it is most useful.
 The mayor of Duluth, Minnesota recently signed File # 21-023-O, which, effective August 19, 2021, broadens covered uses of leave under the Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Ordinance, and amends employer notice and enforcement provisions. Before August 19, employers should review their paid time off policies to ensure they comply with the ordinance and, if they maintain an employee handbook, ensure the policy is included. read more
Many providers are increasingly relying on the internet to fuel their recruitment pipeline given employment shortages, digital accessibility, costs, etc. While Home Care Pulse doesn’t discourage online recruitment efforts, it’s essential to measure your agency’s turnover rates for each recruitment source. In the 2021 Home Care Pulse Benchmarking Study, researchers saw new hires from the internet averaging 72%+ turnover rates, whereas word-of-mouth referrals were averaging only 47% turnover. Consider analyzing your current recruitment sources to see how your turnover rates per source compare to the industry.
CONNECTICUT: DSS Increases Medicaid Reimbursement; Nursing Home Workers Required to Be Vaccinated8/11/2021  At long last, HCAOA Connecticut's advocacy efforts and members' grassroots support have paid dividends in the form of Medicaid waiver rate increases issued by the Department of Social Services for HCBS. HCBS waiver providers will receive a one-time estimated 5% stabilization payment to be paid in the 3rd (current) quarter; 1.7% across-the-board rate increase, authorized under the new state budget, effective Jul. 1, 2021; and supplemental rate funding (see reinvestment plan for details).
 As many HCAOA members know, the Medicare Advantage landscape is changing quickly! Health plans can now offer additional supplemental benefits and services that are not primarily health-related and that target beneficiaries with certain chronic conditions. These changes led to a dramatic increase in plan activity to address social needs and prompted new business and technology innovations. To further dive into the changes happening surrounding social determinants of health (SDOH) or “the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes,” last week Better Medicare Alliance released a new study conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago that outlines the many ways Medicare Advantage is taking action to address social determinants of health while acknowledging the barriers that still remain, and offering solutions for reform.
HCAOA’s Ohio State Chapter will be joining the Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice on August 25, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. to review the new license law for home care agencies that recently passed. This event will focus on what the requirements will be to help agencies prepare for the implementation of the regulation and to ensure members understand what is needed to come into compliance.  As the country continues to see spikes in cases of the COVID-19 Delta Variant, many health care organizations are announcing they are mandating that their frontline workers get the COVID-19 vaccine. As the premier national trade association for home care organizations, HCAOA respects the decision of each individual organization and the decision of each employee regarding vaccination. HCAOA continues to be a staunch supporter of the vaccine and urges all members to continue efforts to educate workers and encourage them to get the vaccine. Several new resources are now available, including suggested talking points and messages for caregivers, clients, and the general community.
 All home care agencies are invited to an in-person meeting of the HCAOA Georgia State Chapter on August 20 at 10:00 a.m. at the Georgian Terrace Hotel. Reconnect with old and new colleagues, hear from leaders, and enjoy a great networking lunch. Click here to register.  Last week, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Todd Young introduced the Choose Home Care Act of 2021 - a new bill to support in-home care alternatives to skilled nursing facilities. This legislation would allow for patients receiving skilled nursing or rehabilitation services from their home health provider to also receive meals, non-emergency transportation, remote patient monitoring, and more.
 HCAOA, Polsinelli law firm, and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice are teaming up to provide a legal update for the home-based care industry (home health, home care and hospice providers). Join us on August 26 at 12:00 p.m. ET to discuss the latest legislative and regulatory developments, including an update regarding the new OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard and its application to home care providers, Biden’s Executive Order seeking to ban non-compete agreements, and the status of the PRO Act.
 HCAOA members have expressed some concerns over the looming July 1, 2021 deadline for a new requirement that removes personal identifying information (PII) from court filings. With the removal of PII from records there was some concern by employers that it would be more difficult to obtain accurate employee background checks without data such as a date of birth.
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[email protected] | sitemap
© 2024 Home Care Association of America. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Refund Policy