Mon. Dec. 13 Press Conference re: rate increase for home care providers

REVISED: NEW TIME & LOCATION

***MEDIA ADVISORY***

Press Conference Calling for Immediate Action to Support Home and Community Based Services Providers, Workers, and Vulnerable Individuals in Home Care Settings

Monday, December 13 at 11:30 AM, EAST SIDE of the State Capitol Grounds

WHO: Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford), Senate Republican Leader Pro Tempore Paul Formica (R-East Lyme), providers who offer Home and Community-Based Services to vulnerable elderly and disabled populations.

WHAT: Press Conference

WHEN: Monday, December 13, 2021 at 11:30 AM

WHERE: State Capitol grounds east side, 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT

WHY: Lawmakers are joining calls from caregivers seeking immediate action from the Department of Social Services to implement an already approved increase to the state’s Medicaid reimbursement rate for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). In June, the state legislature approved a rate increase to take effect July 1, 2021. However, this rate increase has not yet been implemented by the Department of Social Services.

The rate increase is intended to support the caregivers who provide home supports to seniors and disabled individuals, including visiting nurses, home delivered meals, and other assistance that enables the most vulnerable to continue living in their homes and avoid more expensive institutionalized care settings. The rate increase will help support homemakers and companions who provide vital assistance yet remain some of the lowest paid workers who still struggle to make ends meet. This rate increase was to be funded by state General Fund dollars and was approved by the legislature to be effective July 1, 2021. The delay in the rate increase puts enormous financial pressure on small providers who offer care services through Medicaid, their workers, and the vulnerable populations they serve.