On Monday March 17th, State Comptroller Scanlon hosted a Medicaid Roundtable at Fair Haven Community Health Center in New Haven. Key legislative and state agency leadership (including U.S. Congresswoman DeLauro, State Senate President Looney, New Haven Mayor Elicker, Senator Lesser and DSS Commissioner Barton Reeves) addressed a group of about 20 healthcare provider and non-profit representatives vested in the Medicaid program.

 

Dire concerns were raised by all regarding potential Medicaid cuts at the federal level and how they will impact the state of Connecticut’s Medicaid-funded programs and its consumers of services.  Congresswoman DeLauro specified the consumers of such programs are in three categories: children, those with disabilities, aging adults and low-wage workers.  She strongly urged all to fight for the rights of our Connecticut Medicaid population!

 

After a presentation by leadership, Comptroller Scanlon led a brief facilitated discussion giving attendees an opportunity to offer perspective from their represented sector of business—hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, community health centers, housing, immigration, home and community-based services…to name a few.  All support continued need for Medicaid funding through the state now despite any potential federal cuts. 

 

Tracy Wodatch offered the following: “We must be able to provide care in the least costly setting (people’s homes) with a focus on prevention and maintenance saving the higher cost acute care and institutional settings when need is supported.  We cannot continue to use the higher cost settings for reaction to inadequately covered, more cost-effective care in the community.”

Yesterday, the Home Care Association of America CT (HCAOA) and the Connecticut Association for Healthcare at Home hosted a collaborative Care at Home Day at the Capitol. Nearly 70 members of both associations gathered to meet with nearly 20 legislators urging them to address the outdated, hugely inadequate Medicaid rates for Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS).

 

 In addition to the much-needed Medicaid rates, the potential federal Medicaid cuts were looming over all conversations—not knowing the future of significant federal dollars for Connecticut. Other topics discussed included worker safety for HCBS workers, critical workforce recruitment and retention challenges, and training standards for Homemaker-Companion Agency direct care workers. 

 

After a structured program with legislators, members set off to meet with their individual district legislators reviewing their respective association priorities. 

Source: Alliance Daily, March 18, 2025

 

Impact on care at home issues like:

A continuing resolution (CR) passed by Congress late last week and signed by President Trump has kept the federal government open, temporarily, and extended the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver and telehealth flexibilities alive through September.

 

The Alliance is pleased with the extension, but would prefer to see a permanent solution.

Source: Alliance Daily, March 18, 2025

 

 

The Final January 2025 Interim Performance Reports (IPRs) for the expanded HHVBP Model have been published on the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES). The quarterly IPRs provide home health agencies (HHAs) with the cohort assignment, performance year measure data for the 12 most recent months, and the interim Total Performance Score (TPS). Using the IPR, an HHA can assess and track their performance relative to peers in their respective cohort throughout the expanded Model performance year.

The home care industry is undergoing significant transformation as we enter into 2025, driven by demographic shifts, technological advancements and changing healthcare policies. Here is a snapshot of the state of the industry.

 

The demand for home care services continues to rise dramatically in 2025. This growth is primarily fueled by the aging baby boomer generation, with projections indicating that by 2029, there will be approximately 71.4 million Americans aged 65 and older. About 70% of this population is expected to require some form of care during their lifetime, creating an unprecedented need for home care services.

Source: Private Duty Source, March 12, 2025

 

The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) proudly supports the reintroduction of the Credit for Caring Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) and Mike Carey (R-Ohio), along with Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). This important legislation provides a much-needed tax credit of up to $5,000 to help alleviate the financial burden faced by family caregivers who support their loved ones at home.

Source: Alliance Daily, March 10, 2025

In one of the first policy moves focusing specifically on Medicaid, the Trump administration rescinded prior guidance regarding opportunities to provide services that address health related social needs (HRSN), also known as social determinants of health. In an Information Bulletin issued on March 4, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) stated that it was rescinding the HSRN guidance documents so that it could “evaluate policy options consistent with Medicaid and CHIP program requirements and objectives.” This action will likely lead to fewer Medicaid supports for HRSN and is consistent with broader administration’s priorities regarding reduced federal expenditures.