Last week, associations representing home care providers and managed care plans, including Managed Long Term Care plans,  met with Medicaid Director Amir Bassiri and other key  Department of Health (DOH) staff to express their united support for sufficient, timely, and transparent home care minimum wage funding in anticipation of the $1 increase scheduled for January 1, 2024.

Plans and providers stressed  their common interest in making sure that all parties had a shared  understanding and expectations regarding how the statewide home care minimum wage increase a and the downstate worker wage parity decrease would be funded.  Providers presented an analysis demonstrating to DOH the additional statutory costs driven by the increase including FLSA costs, in-service requirements, split shift/spread of hours mandated by NYS DOL, COVID sick pay, statutory fringe, WC, and unemployment insurance.

Both upstate and downstate providers would require similar increases. Plans and providers expressed the need for early notice of the established rates to allow time to finalize updated contracts. Together, they also asked the Department be clear and transparent when setting rates including the impacts of the State’s utilization assumptions and risk score adjustments.

Plans and providers asked for a webinar and guidance to provide the maximum amount of information about the base rate to alleviate any confusion and miscommunication between the State, plans and providers. 

The Department agreed to hold another webinar and provide guidance, most likely in October or as soon as it is able.

Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leaedingageny.org, 518 867-8871 or Darius Kirstein, dkirstein@leadingageny.org, 518 867-8383.