Prometric now offers an online option to take the Home Care Aide knowledge exams through Proproctor.

Medicaid home care faces ongoing workforce challenges, impacting over 4.5 million users of home- and community-based services (HCBS). Many states are addressing this by increasing payment rates, according to a recent issue brief released by KFF. The survey was sent to each state official overseeing home care benefits (including home health, personal care, and waiver services for specific populations, such as people with physical disabilities). All states except Florida, Indiana, and Utah responded.

Last week, HCAOA CEO Jason Lee, Legislative Director Cheryl Stanton, Board Member Veronica Charles, and HCAOA VP of Government Relations Eric Reinarman spent two full days on Capitol Hill meeting with members of Congress to discuss Tax policy to improve access to home care, as well as to immigration and HCAOA’s proposed home care visa and streamlining the EB-3 Visa process to help close the workforce shortage gap.

The Michigan House of Representatives recently passed the Workforce Opportunity Wage Act (HB4001) and the Earned Sick Time Act (HB4002) to address challenges with the state’s minimum wage and paid sick time laws due to take effect on February 21. The Senate Regulatory Reform Committee adopted its version of a paid sick leave bill, Senate Bill 15, last week, and the bill is set to be debated in a Senate Regulatory Affairs Committee today, February 12.

​Connecticut Governor Lamont introduced a two-year budget proposal that would fund an additional special investigator in the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) and add funding for home care waiver services in the Department of Social Services (DSS).

HCAOA continues to monitor the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities and any potential impact they may have on the home care industry.

​Jason Lee, HCAOA CEO, joined Jeff Wiberg, Founder of Family Resource Home Care, Clint Nobles, Founder & CEO of Home Care Ops, and Todd Austin, President & COO of Activated Insights, for the Home Care Ops CEO panel last week where they discussed how to set Resolutions That Stick. With Wiberg facilitating the dynamic discussion, Lee, Nobles, and Austin shared insights on setting annual plans and goals, developing metrics and assessing opportunities, and incentivizing strong performance. When Lee spoke about crisis management, he referenced his favorite hobby that he enjoys when the weather permits - riding his motorcycle! In the picture above, he is enjoying his hobby near Robbinsville, NC, on a road referred to as the Tail of the Dragon, which is famous for its 318 curves in 11 miles. Fortunately, his day job isn’t as dangerous!

A minimum wage increase to $16/hour in Nevada, which took effect in January 2024, has helped reduce turnover among home care workers, with the state’s home care workforce growing by 6.5% and 96% of workers being retained between December 2023 and April 2024. Additionally, Nevada raised its Medicaid reimbursement rate from $17.56 to $25 per hour to better support home care providers as the state’s aging population continues to grow.

Connecticut is set to expand its paid sick leave law, affecting private-sector employees beginning January 1, 2025. Previously limited to employers with 50 or more employees and service workers, the new law will extend paid sick leave to all employees at companies with 25 or more employees, with further expansion in 2026 and 2027. Key changes include the elimination of the service worker criteria, no requirement for employees to provide documentation or advance notice for leave, and expanded use of sick time to care for family members. Additionally, the law increases accrual from one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked to one hour for every 30 hours worked, with a carryover of 40 hours or the option for employers to frontload sick leave at the start of each year. Governor Ned Lamont signed the bill in May, and the implementation will occur in phases over the next few years.

It’s not too late to register for tomorrow's LIVE webinar Blueprint to Maximize Your Caregiver Recruitment Process at 1:00 p.m. ET. Hear from industry leaders about the strategies behind successful caregiver recruiting — and how you can apply them at your agency immediately.

Do you have children or know a college student interested in aging policy? Then you may be interested to know the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is seeking three interns for an eight-week, in-person summer policy internship program in Washington, DC, focused on aging-related policy development. The internship includes a $6,000 stipend and flexible start dates. One internship is reserved for a candidate enrolled in a Minority Serving Institution. Internship duties may include attending congressional hearings, researching issues that impact older adults, meetings with federal regulatory agencies, monitoring legislation and regulations, and contributing to GSA’s Public Policy & Aging Report, among other duties.

The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed phasing out the ability for employers to pay subminimum wages to workers with disabilities under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The rule would halt the issuance of new certificates allowing subminimum wage and gradually phase out existing certificates over three years. This change follows a year-long review and is expected to improve the economic well-being and inclusion of workers with disabilities.

HCAOA submitted comments in response to the Division of Occupational Safety & Health (DOSH) Expedited Proposal (CR-105): Workplace Violence in Health Care. The proposed rule, which contains provisions that would impact home care agencies, was proposed via an expedited rulemaking process, which means that if no objections or comments were provided prior to the December 2nd deadline, the rule would bypass the normal rulemaking process and be adopted immediately.

Connecticut’s paid sick leave law and requirements for businesses and employers, including home care agencies will expand in several ways beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

Last Friday, U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas, issued a permanent injunction against a Biden administration overtime pay rule aimed at expanding eligibility to millions of salaried workers, halting the implementation of a rule that could have significantly impacted the home care industry and its workforce. The full decision may be read by clicking here.