State Chapter Advocacy Efforts on Steroids

HCAOA Michigan Chapter Members meet virtually with State Rep. Mark Tisdel (R-45)

​HCAOA state chapters are focused on improving access to and the delivery of home care throughout the country. Whether it’s expanding the scope of services that home care aides in Illinois can provide, or advocating for auto accident victims in Michigan, or developing recommendations for Ohio’s new home care license law, or fighting against a bill that would prohibit non-solicitation clauses in Connecticut, HCAOA’s chapters have been doing great work on behalf of all members! Here are some highlights…

Michigan
In Michigan, reimbursement rates to home care companies caring for victims of catastrophic car accidents were cut by at least 45% as a result of reforms to the automobile no-fault insurance scheme. This dramatically-reduced reimbursement rate was inadvertent, as the home care industry was never specifically targeted by legislators. HCAOA and members of the Michigan Chapter have made tremendous inroads with legislators both in Lansing and via Zoom on this issue, but we still need your help!

Michigan members, click here to send a prewritten message to your lawmakers. It only takes a few seconds, but those few seconds could make all the difference for the clients who rely on our care!

 
California
Last week, members of the California chapter participated in HCAOA’s two-day Virtual Advocacy Event to help legislators gain greater insight on a major legislative priority in Sacramento to clarify the distinction between Domestic Referral Agencies (DRAs), which perform most of the same functions as Home Care Organizations (HCOs), but are not the legal employer of a caregiver. This creates an unfair regulatory playing field between DRAs and HCOs that the Chapter is seeking to fix.
 
On the regulatory front, HCAOA is working with the California Department of Social Services to streamline the state’s background check process and is pushing to obtain an updated guidance document that more expressly states what tasks home care aides may assist with.