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| March 6, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 This Week at CT Healthcare At Home
Federal Legislative Update On Friday, February 28th, the Appropriations Committee held a public hearing to address how the governor’s budget line items impacted human services. The Connecticut Association for Healthcare at Home’s voice was loud and clear—fourteen Association members testified, urging the committee to invest more dollars in the Home and Community Agency-Based providers.
The messages were varied but all inclusive to highlight the underfunded services our members collectively provide to the Medicaid population in CT, including traditional home health, long-term services and supports through state funding and waivers, continuous skilled nursing to fragile children and adults, and behavioral health nursing, Below are the links to the testimony of the fourteen speakers and three written submissions. Thank you to all for your support and advocacy. The message doesn’t stop with the public hearing; we must continue our full court pressure throughout session! Tracy Wodatch, Pres/CEO, The Association Chris Pankratz, Pres/CEO, Masters in Home Care Daniela Cappetta, Home Health Nurse, Elara Caring Annellie Reed, Administrator, All Pointe HomeCare Coco Sellman, Parent and Immediate Past Chair, The Association Kim Durand, Hospice Program Manager, Day Kimball Health at Home Ann Olson, Executive Director, YNHH Health at Home Samantha Ramon, Area Operations Director, Aveanna Healthcare Cecelia Livingston, Senior Director of Operations, A+B Homecare/Modivcare Michael Lung, VP of Operations, Companions & Homemakers/Companions Forever Johnie Burke, Associate Director of Hospice, Masonicare Mario D’Aquila, COO, Assisted Living Services, Inc. Bree Sanca, Regional VP of Behavioral Health, Elara Caring Jennifer LeDuc, Director Quality & Operations, DKH at Home, Association Board Chair Caleb Roseme, COO, Assured Quality Homecare Conant Schoenly, President, Charter Oak Home Care Kathy Rathan, CEO, Project Genesis In addition, the CT Mirror ran this article where Tracy Wodatch is quoted: CT officials address Medicaid uncertainty as federal cuts loom The Aging Committee held a public hearing on Friday February 28th where Pres/CEO Tracy Wodatch testified addressing proposed training requirements for Homemaker-Companion Agencies.
Among the requirements were some appropriate to personal care, such as communication, non-medical personal care and care of the client with Alzheimer’s/Dementia; however, Wodatch opposed several “medically oriented” requirements (CPR, First Aid, and recognizing changes in client condition). Other areas of concern were detailed and burdensome tracking mandates for training requirements. Wodatch encouraged the Aging Committee to collaborate with HCAOA and the CT Association for Healthcare at Home to draft a bill focusing on best practice training standards for personal care providers as well as efficient tracking processes and funding to support all. See below testimony submitted: Tracy Wodatch, Pres/CEO, CT Association for Healthcare at Home Caleb Roseme, COO, Assured Quality Homecare and Chair of Home Care Committee In addition, the CT Mirror ran this article addressing SB 1344 where Tracy Wodatch is quoted: CT legislators mull requiring homemaker companion worker training
News UpdateSource: Alliance Daily, February 28, 2025
Late on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a budget resolution by a 217-215 vote, with all Republicans apart from one supporting the resolution and all Democrats opposing it. The resolution calls for $2 trillion in spending cuts and directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut $880 billion over the next 10 years. The House Energy and Commerce Committee oversees a number of important spending programs, including Medicaid. The vote and the call for substantial spending cuts has left some alarmed that deep reductions in Medicaid spending are on the table. However, it should be noted that President Donald Trump has denied that Medicaid will be cut. Source: The Alliance, February 28, 2025
Bipartisan bill would ensure continued access to care while strengthening program integrity (Alexandria, VA and Washington, DC) – The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) is pleased to support the reintroduction of the Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act in the House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation, H.R.1720, would extend telehealth flexibilities for hospice face-to-face (F2F) recertification. The F2F encounter is performed by a physician or nurse practitioner to evaluate the patient and collect clinical information used in determining continued eligibility for hospice. Introduced by Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV) and Jared Golden (D-ME), the bill would extend the F2F recertification flexibility for providers until December 31, 2027. Beginning January 1, 2026, the legislation also includes important guardrails to ensure appropriate use and requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to create a modifier to collect data on when the F2F encounter is conducted via telehealth. The Alliance then, through its legacy organizations, worked with lawmakers to ensure continued care transformation and access to care for high-quality providers. Source: McKnights Home Care, February 11, 2025
The largest trial to date comparing different dementia care management programs found that family caregiver self-efficacy — a measurement of caregivers’ confidence in managing dementia-related challenges and accessing support — improved in both the health system and community-based care approaches, compared to usual care.
“I think those of us that are really close to this clinical work were not surprised to see that caregivers who got that higher level of care management and care navigation did better,” Lee A. Jennings, MD, a co-investigator at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse.
Membership NewsEnd the first day of the 2025 New England Home Care & Hospice Conference and Trade Show on a high note with the inspiring Closing Keynote on April 16, 2025, at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, Maine. Sponsored by HomeCareOps, this session will feature Bridget Cooper, a renowned leadership coach, author and consultant.
In this engaging and interactive session, Bridget will share actionable strategies for fostering a compassionate workplace culture that drives employee satisfaction, enhances client outcomes and propels organizational success. Leaders will leave with practical tools to create a high-performing and positive work environment—a must-attend session to close out the first day of the conference!
Key Takeaways:
Do not miss this inspiring session that will leave you motivated and ready to implement meaningful change in your organization.
Tyson’s family began senior care in 1964 and built Shady Oaks in 1975. Seven of his family were residents there.
Shady Oaks excels at dementia, heart disease, stroke, Parkinson’s, mobility assistance, and hospice care. They provide great communication and high staffing (lift transfers and 24/7 CNAs) in a cozy boutique home. They have VA & CT aid up to $5k/month. In 8 years, only 3% of residents ran out of money. They do not have Medicaid. They are strong and successful against COVID-19. As of March 2024, only 8 residents have ever caught COVID there. People choose them when they prioritize care. 95% of their residents stay with them through to their passing. Education
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Home Health Hot Topic: Effective Interventions & Goals on the Plan of Care
