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Senator Casey Promotes Legislation to Address Home and Community Based Care
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Last week as part of a hearing focusing on home and community based services (HCBS) in the Senate Aging Committee, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced the introduction of a bill titled, “Home and Community-Based Services Infrastructure Improvement Act (S.3277).”
The Senator stated that today states lack capacity to meet current and future HCBS needs and to maintain cost-effective, person-centered HCBS delivery systems. The HCBS Infrastructure Improvement Act would provide a one-time $100 million dollar investment of federal funding to strengthen states’ ability to improve quality of life for millions of older adults, people with disabilities, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, children and their families through multi-year grants to enhance their HCBS service delivery systems.
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Research Planning Underway for 2020 Value of Home Care Report
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In efforts to refresh the Value of Home Care report released in 2016, HCAOA Members gathered with researchers from High Lantern Group to set research priorities for the 2020 edition. HCAOA was represented by board members Matt Boever of Home Instead, Gale Bohling of BrightSpring Health Services, David Totaro of Bayada; members Pattie Rodgers of Waverly Care and Deb Hoyt of Axxess; and HCAOA lobbyist Patrick Cooney.
“The timing for a new report is perfect,” said Boever. “CMS is starting to talk about home care, and state associations are reaching out for help in defining the industry to their Medicare agencies. On top of that, it was great to hear from colleagues how the report helps them shape their advocacy.”
Topics discussed at the meeting included how the report will be organized for 2020, what has changed in the industry since 2016, current perceptions of home care, and key issues that will shape home care for the next four years. The report will be compiled over the summer, with a view to a national release in February 2021.
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4 Ways Mobile Printing Helps Boost CMS 5 Star Ratings Your job is to support consistent, quality care. Mobile technology can help make it happen. By producing accurate, CMS-compliant documents at the point of care, mobile printers play a valuable role in boosting CMS scores – particularly on patient education and communication measures. See four ways mobile printing can help you. Get the article now.
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South Carolina, Illinois Celebrate Regulatory Successes
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Direct action by two chapters has resulted in streamlined compliance for home care providers. In Illinois, chapter members worked to obtain training reciprocity for home care workers- that is, if a caregiver changes jobs, their training certifications come with them, and their new employer doesn’t have to retrain them.
In South Carolina, meanwhile, chapter leadership worked with their state Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to see if they could re-open their typical 5-year review of the state regulations governing licensure to review certain background and health testing requirements. Home care providers were originally subjected to the same requirements as home health workers.
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Home Care Coverage Legislation is Live: Come Fight for It in DC March 3-4
HCAOA will host its first Washington, DC Fly-In of 2020 on March 3-4. This year, the Association is targeting several sessions that match with deliberate legislative priorities and appropriate officials, to make members a regular presence on the Hill. For March 4th, HCAOA is scheduling meetings with members of the House Ways and Means or Senate Finance committees. Prior to meetings, members will gather for a welcome briefing and reception the afternoon of March 3rd.
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Take Advantage of the First Free Webinar of the Year
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Learn More about “Issue Free” Workplaces TOMORROW
As state legislators push to make organizing easier by creating caregiver registries, it is vital to understand that labor organization often springs from major issues exploding in the workforce. Next Thursday, Angelo Spinola and Kurt Rose of Littler Mendelson, P.C., will describe how maintaining an issue-free workplace is the single most effective way to keep outside influences away from caregivers.
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Aloe Care Health Launches Home Care Digital Assistant
Aloe Care Health, a strategic partner of the Association, announced recently that it has begun shipping the first comprehensive digital assistant for elder care to consumers and strategic partners. The service includes a Smart Hub in the elders' home for secure, two-way, hands-free communication and additional Smart Sensors to detect falls, motion, air quality, and temperature. No wearable tracker is needed for the system to work.
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Alabama Chapter
The Alabama Chapter has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, March 31. The meeting will occur at the state capitol in Montgomery and include advocacy activities to educate legislators on the benefits of home care. Please watch this space for more information, including a registration link.
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Connecticut Chapter
Chapter Hosts Care at Home Day on the Hill
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Join the Connecticut Chapter at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford for a morning of networking, face-to-face lobbying and public policy education.
Gather with your home care industry colleagues for:
- Continental breakfast
- Presentations and awards
- Network with colleagues, legislators and officials
- Learn about public policy affecting home care
- Meet with lawmakers…and more.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 18, 8:00 a.m.
WHERE: Legislative Office Building, Hartford, Connecticut
Click here to register
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Georgia Chapter
Littler Mendelson Hosts Private Duty Seminar with HCAOA and myCNAJobs
Join us for a glimpse into the latest trends impacting our industry. This in-person session will address the latest regulatory, legal, recruitment, and retention issues alongside opportunities facing agencies throughout the nation.
Attendees will walk away with new thinking to immediately implement to ensure both compliance and best practices to drive results. All attendees will receive a hard copy of the 2020 Edition of The Caregiver Trend Report.
HCAOA Executive Director Vicki Hoak, Rusty Paul of iSquared Communications, Angelo Spinola of Littler Mendelson P.C., and Brandi Kurtyka of myCNAJobs will present.
The program will be presented in two sessions: 9:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m or 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., with receptions at the end of each.
When: Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM EDT
Where:
Littler Mendelson Offices
3424 Peachtree Rd NE
Suite 1200
Atlanta, GA 30326
Cost: $65
Click here to register and select your session.
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Illinois Members Talk Training Rules, National Regulatory Trends
Illinois members gathered yesterday morning for discussion of training compliance, national trends, and more. Following a discussion of the upcoming national Lobby Day Fly-In and various advocacy successes from around the nation, Cynthia Germain, MBA, LNHA, CPP Executive Director, Continuing Education Institute of Illinois, provided a primer on mandated annual sexual harassment training for caregivers. Additionally, Aishling Dalton and Mike O’Brien updated the chapter on Alzheimer’s Training Reciprocity. The meeting was concluded by a session on business insurance led by Gary DiVito of Wm. Schwartz & Co., who sponsored the chapter meeting.
The next Illinois Meeting will be held at Wilder Mansion in Emhurst on April 21st.
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Ohio Chapter
Ohio Home Care Leaders Setting Chapter Direction at Town Hall
Join Ohio Chapter leadership for a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, February 25.
The meeting will occur from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wesley Glen Retirement Community in Columbus, Ohio. HCAOA President Emma Dickison will present the state of the industry nationwide, Executive Director Vicki Hoak will discuss key issues facing the industry nationwide, and a Pennsylvania provider will discuss home care licensure. You can review a full agenda here.
Click here to register.
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Virginia Chapter
The HCAOA Virginia Chapter will be meeting on March 11th and 12th. Meetings will be held in Northern Virginia and Virginia Beach, and will include discussions around the biggest regulatory and business issues facing home care providers in the Commonwealth.
Click HERE to register for either meeting. Please register ahead of time so that we will have an accurate headcount for each location.
Coastal Virginia Meeting
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am Eastern Time
Cost: FREE
Location: Seniorcorp, 4524 Wishart Rd, Suite 200, Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Northern Virginia Meeting
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020
Time: 9:00 am - 10:30 am Eastern Time
Cost: FREE
Location:
Arden Courts at Fair Oaks
12469 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, Fairfax, VA 22033
If you have any questions, please contact Nataly Schwartz at nataly@hcaoa.org
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HSAs and Medicare Enrollees
On February 11, 2020, the Congressional Research Service issued a report on how health savings accounts can work for Medicare beneficiaries. This report may be of interest to HCAOA members as HCAOA works to enact legislation (H.R.2878/S.3261) that would allow home care to be an eligible expense under HSAs.
Medicare enrollment impacts an otherwise eligible individual’s ability to establish and contribute to a HSA. Although Medicare enrollees cannot establish HSAs or make or receive contributions to their existing accounts, these individuals can withdraw any remaining balances in previously established accounts. This report provides an overview of HSA rules and highlights how these rules apply to Medicare enrollees.
https://plus.cq.com/pdf/crsreports-5834992.pdf?19
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Home Care Association of America
444 N. Capitol Street NW, Suite 397, Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 800-22-HCAOA Email: info@hcaoa.org Website: www.hcaoa.org
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