Home Care News

Advocacy helped restore funding

Two weeks prior to the passage of the health budget, HCP members from across the State traveled to the Capitol to urge Legislators and the Governor to restore funding to home care.

HCP's Home Care New York reports on the impact of Advocacy Day on the State Budget as providers being proactive in implementing compliance programs.

Budget restorations but some providers left behind

HCP expressed thanks to the State Legislature and Executive April 1 for restoring many of the proposed cuts to home care funding, but expressed disappointment that the trend factor cut to the Personal Care program was not even partially restored, thus making it the only home care program that saw no restorations.

The Executive budget proposed a 35% trend factor cut to all home care programs and additional cuts to Ceritifed Home health Agencies (CHHAs) and Long Term Home Health Care Programs (LTHHCPs). The tentative budget agreement restores funds only to CHHAs and LTHHCPs and does not address the critical needs of Licensed Home Care Services Agencies (LHCSAs) providing Personal Care services, particularly those serving patients in Upstate New York.

"Every type of home care provider is important to ensure home and community-based care is accessible," HCP President Phyllis Wang said. "The agreement restoring funds to CHHAs and LTHHCPs is a step in the right direction, but the 35% trend factor cut to personal care providers was not restored. I am disappointed that the funds were not equitably distributed among all home care providers."

HCP's press release is available in the Press Center.

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Mary Pat Hopper, left, (AccuCare Home Health Services) and Kristin Mohammed (Attentive Care of Albany) were among HCP Northeastern New York Chapter members who brought the home care message to State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

HCP members make the case for home care

HCP members came to Albany March 18 to make the case for home care as a vital, cost-effective part of the health care continuum that must be supported in the State Budget. As part of HCP's Home Care Advocacy Day, members held some 120 meetings with legislators, followed up by an evening Legislative & Regulatory Reception. Overall, legislators were supportive of the home care message while pointing out that this is a difficult year financially.

HCP members: click here for more Advocacy Day photos.

Marketing telehealth

The March-April issue of Tools for the Trade, HCP's business strategies newsletter, has an article on how home care agencies can use telehealth as a marketing tool. Plus a sneak preview of HCP's new Web site which is coming soon.

Check out the latest Tools here.

HCP Special Reports published

HCP’s latest Special Reports provide home care agencies with crucial information for running their businesses.

Medicaid Personal Care Rates Codes will help agencies uncover new business and marketing opportunities. Data from the New York State Department of Health is analyzed with 24 different rate codes broken down by region and by county. This book gives you the data you need to assess and adjust your business planning and marketing strategies and provides that data in a user-friendly format.

Home Care Wages & Salaries allows you to compare an agency to compare itself to others. This can help retain valuable employees, reduce turnover and recruit more of the best home care workers.

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The HCP Press Center has background material on the current state of home care in New York.

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If you're a member of HCP, The HCP Insider has full details on these stories and more.

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