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The Medicaid payment reform is now included in the Omnibus bill; Kevin is fairly comfortable this will stick and be passed by Weds. It’s not quite time to celebrate but this will be a HUGE win if it does!!
You may recall that I will be on vacation through July 8. Mandy and Brianna will monitor this and send a notice to our members if it passes next week, with the caveat that it still needs to be signed into law by the Governor. This is what I know and shared with them:
- Medicaid home care and home care nursing would follow suite with Medicare increases, effective Jan 2022; When the Medicare Market Basket increases, these programs would see the same percentage increase.
- Additionally, there is a one-time adjustment to the base rate – an increase of 5% for Jan 2022 (Kevin is getting clarification but we believe this will be 5% PLUS whatever increase comes from reform bill/market basket increase).
- If this passes, it is a HUGE win – many thanks to Kevin, Anni for their persistence, Senator Abeler who made this a priority issue and our members who stepped up to advocate for the desperately needed increase
- As an aside, we haven’t given a Legislator Award out for several years and will likely give one to Abeler at the Annual Meeting.
The PCA increase were in both the Senate and House bills so bit less of a surprise. Below is what is in the current version:
- PCA rate increase & ratification to approve the SEIU contract
- Rate Framework – added a permanent rate structure/reform (similar concept to MA pymt reform)
- Spouses & parents can provide PCA services
- CFSS staff can drive clients & be reimbursed
- Those with 12 + hrs approved per day will be moved to 10+ Hours/day
- Study approved for PCAs and direct support professionals to follow their clients into hospitals
I’ll be waiting for the vote and cheering from afar!!!
P.S. We are in the new office and still working through some IT migration after being without email for two days. We are in good shape now and in good hands with Acacia and the Trellis IT support.
Reminder, please contact Mandy if you need anything prior to July 9th. Thanks!!
Be Well,
Kathy Messerli
Executive Director
Minnesota Home Care Association
1265 Grey Fox Road, Suite 2 | Arden Hills, MN 55112-6929
Direct: 651.635.0038 | Main: 651.635.0607
www.mnhomecare.org | kmesserli@mnhomecare.org
