New Rule by Obama Administration May Decrease Hours for Direct Care Workers and Increase Costs on an Already Financial Stressed Medicaid System
Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) April 30, 2014 -- This new rule is designed to improve pay and working conditions for more than 2 million home care workers; however, many states are concerned that it may result in higher Medicaid costs. Starting on January 1 home care workers will now be eligible to receive overtime pay. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates the rule will cost $6.8 million a year over a 10 year period, with state Medicaid programs and private business on the hook for the increase.
“The verdict is out on the impact of this new rule for the Special Needs Community. On one hand it may improve the lifestyle of direct care workers, on the other hand those same workers may have their hours cut, and families will have to add additional workers to their staff which will mean additional training and a loss of continuum of care for a period of time. The other possible negative is the added financial pressure on these small direct care agencies and an already stressed Medicaid system,” states Ryan Platt, Founder of A Special Needs Plan and creator of SpecialNeedsKNowledge.org.
Ryan Platt continues, “This new rule reinforces the importance of Special Needs Planning for families. The seemingly endless changes to the rules in the Medicaid System and the financial design of the service world requires families to have a proper plan in place to ensure their child has a secure future no matter how the government benefit landscape changes. Families should also ensure they have a trusted professional who is constantly staying on top of these changes so their plan does not become outdated and in danger of not working!”
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/04/28/new-rules-caregivers-changes/19313/
More about A Special Needs Plan:
A Special Needs Plan is a special needs planning firm founded in the belief of L.I.F.E.-Lasting Independence For Everyone™. They are an advisory firm with a mission of helping more than a million families secure that Independence throughout their child’s life.
To learn more, visit aspecialneedsplan.com or http://www.specialneedsknowledge.org.
Andrew Spafford, A Special Needs Plan, http://www.aspecialneedsplan.com, +1 (704) 557-9637, [email protected]
Share this article