State Legislation and Regulation Tracker
(Full-time legislature)
- SUPPORT Assembly Bill 2643, Domestic Referral Agencies – prohibits domestic referral agencies (DRAs) from operating like Home Care Companies
- No substantive language, but this is our vehicle for amending the Civil Code to provide that seniors must compensate the domestic worker directly rather than through the DRA
- SUPPORT Assembly Bill 2069, An act creating a scholarship program for “students to be used for home care aid or home health training programs”
- In Committee on Human Services
(Legislative Session dates: February 9 – May 4)
Regulatory update: Medicaid reimbursement rates have been increased thanks to active engagement on the part of HCAOA Connecticut chapter members, who met with the Department of Social Services to emphasize the significant need for a rate hike. Providers will see claims paid at the new rate as of March 22, 2022.
- OPPOSE House Bill 5332, Prohibits home care agency use of non-solicitation clauses
- Passed out of Human Services Committee, headed to House floor. TAKE ACTION
- SUPPORT Senate Bill 262, Requires a study of homemaker-companion issues
- Amended and approved by Aging Committee Mar. 10; will be on Senate calendar this week.
- SUPPORT House Bill 5338, Medicaid HCBS rate increase
- Medicaid HCBS rate increase.
Regulatory update: Medicaid reimbursement rates have been increased thanks to active engagement on the part of HCAOA Connecticut chapter members, who met with the Department of Social Services to emphasize the significant need for a rate hike. Providers will see claims paid at the new rate as of March 22, 2022.
(Adjourned on March 14)
Regulatory issue: Wages for direct care workers of providers who participate in Florida’s Medicaid Program have been raised due to an increase in the recently passed state budget and the impact of Florida’s $15 an hour minimum wage law. The exact amount of the rate increase has not yet been determined. On April 5, 2022 at 10:30am, the Agency for Health Care Administration will hold a hearing on what the new rate will be. HCAOA and its partners in Florida will monitor the hearing and will keep members up to date. Anyone may attend the hearing virtually by registering here.
Regulatory issue: Wages for direct care workers of providers who participate in Florida’s Medicaid Program have been raised due to an increase in the recently passed state budget and the impact of Florida’s $15 an hour minimum wage law. The exact amount of the rate increase has not yet been determined. On April 5, 2022 at 10:30am, the Agency for Health Care Administration will hold a hearing on what the new rate will be. HCAOA and its partners in Florida will monitor the hearing and will keep members up to date. Anyone may attend the hearing virtually by registering here.
(Legislative Session dates: January 10 – March 31)
- SUPPORT House Bill 911, General appropriations bill.
- Passed both House and Senate.
- Includes a line item added to the Medicaid Elderly and Disabled by the House Appropriations Health Subcommittee for $2 million to increase the reimbursement rate for HCBS providers to cover the added costs of fingerprinting.
- SUPPORT House Bill 1520, Creates Georgia Council on Addressing Health Care Workforce Challenges
- Passed by House, referred to Senate Government Oversight Committee
- Original version failed to include HCBS providers, but Rep. Jesse Petrea, HCAOA Board Member, was instrumental in getting HCBS providers on the 27-member council, plus a permanent subcommittee to focus entirely on HCBS provider workforce needs.
- SUPPORT Senate Bill 610, Requires Dept. of Community Health to Study HCBS Rates by 2024 and every 3 years thereafter
- Passed by Senate and House, awaiting Governor Kemp’s signature. Thanks to the advocacy of the Georgia Chapter, all HCBS waivers, including the GAPP waiver, will be part of this rate study.
- SUPPORT House Bill 1304, The Georgia Caregivers Act
- Passed by House, referred to Senate Health and Human Services
- Addresses discharge procedures following medical procedures to assure that a caregiver is identified and trained specifically to the needs of the patient
(Full-time legislature)
Regulatory issue: HCAOA is actively working with the Department of Public Health to expand the scope of services that home care workers may engage in. Once the rules regulating what services are permissible become final, they must be approved by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, which could occur in June, 2022.
Regulatory issue: HCAOA is actively working with the Department of Public Health to expand the scope of services that home care workers may engage in. Once the rules regulating what services are permissible become final, they must be approved by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, which could occur in June, 2022.
(Full-time legislature)
SUPPORT Attempts to initiate legislation to fix automobile no-fault insurance reform that cut rates by 45%. Legislature on break for two weeks, seeking new sponsor/language when they reconvene.
Regulatory issue: Working with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to build a foundation of support to raise Michigan’s reimbursement rate.
SUPPORT Attempts to initiate legislation to fix automobile no-fault insurance reform that cut rates by 45%. Legislature on break for two weeks, seeking new sponsor/language when they reconvene.
Regulatory issue: Working with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to build a foundation of support to raise Michigan’s reimbursement rate.
(Full-time legislature)
SUPPORT Assembly Bill 3175 - Provides $3,000 gross income tax deduction for certain taxpayers providing home care for an elderly relative
SUPPORT Assembly Bill 3175 - Provides $3,000 gross income tax deduction for certain taxpayers providing home care for an elderly relative
(Full-time legislature)
Regulatory issue: The Ohio Chapter, along with the Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice, have submitted recommended regulations to license non-medical home health agencies. Stakeholder meetings will be held and HCAOA plans to participate.
Regulatory issue: The Ohio Chapter, along with the Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice, have submitted recommended regulations to license non-medical home health agencies. Stakeholder meetings will be held and HCAOA plans to participate.
(Full-time legislature)
Regulatory issue: HCAOA and its members are engaged with the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) on Certificate of Need issues as well as the need to further sharpen the distinctions between in-home care services and home health services.
For example, clarity has been reached for those home care agencies that also provide private duty nursing (PDN). Agencies that offer both home care and PDN must maintain separate lines of business between the two services. Records should be easily distinguishable and able to be presented as one service or the other and should not be combined.
Regulatory issue: HCAOA and its members are engaged with the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) on Certificate of Need issues as well as the need to further sharpen the distinctions between in-home care services and home health services.
For example, clarity has been reached for those home care agencies that also provide private duty nursing (PDN). Agencies that offer both home care and PDN must maintain separate lines of business between the two services. Records should be easily distinguishable and able to be presented as one service or the other and should not be combined.
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