Website Re-Launch!

As you have likely already noticed, the www.thinkhomecare.org is undergoing a major re-design today.

The website you are now on is our dynamic newsfeed and — despite the different website address — should be considered part of www.thinkhomecare.org.  This is an official part of the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts.

A summary of each item posted here will be automatically cross-posted at http://www.thinkhomecare.org and you may access the full article by clicking on that summary (which is likely how you got to this page).

All posts on this site will appear on our homepage in the "Alliance News Feed" section
All posts on this site will appear on our homepage in the "Alliance News Feed" section

Once you’ve read the article you clicked on, you may comment or return to www.thinkhomecare.org (a link will always be provided).  At the moment, the navigation bar up top does not work, though I will be fixing that shortly.

If you’re interested in searching through the archives kept on this website, you can use the tools that appear in the navigation bar immediately on your right.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

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Memo to Sec. Bigby on Tele-homecare

Memo to Executive Office of Health & Human Services Secretary JudyAnn Bigby encouraging telehomecare as a solution to growing healthcare costs.

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Comments to MA Special Commission on Healthcare Payment Reform

The Alliance submitted comments on payment and purchase reform to the MA Special Commission on Health Care Payment Reform.

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Alliance Budget Priority Message to Ways & Means

Testimony to the Joint Committee on Ways & Means regarding our budget priorities
60 Day Cut Fact Sheet
Telehealth Fact Sheet

Home health services are an important part of caring for the elderly, mentally ill and otherwise infirm citizens of Massachusetts and helps individuals remain independent in their homes and communities. Home health is also cost-effective in keeping patients out of nursing homes and hospitals as well as reducing visits to the emergency room. The industry carries with it opportunities for further cost savings, but the circumstances of our economy have hindered their advancement.

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Alliance Testimony on Fair Share Contributions

Pat Kelleher’s Testimony on Fair Share Contributions

Our primary concern with these proposed changes is their impact on our smaller, private care home care companies.  These companies have emerged to meet a growing need for quality affordable elder care in our state; they are providing new jobs in our state, often for workers who are new to the workplace. But the work hours fluctuate widely for their direct care workers depending on the number of clients, on each client’s health status, and even the time year. Over this past year the vast majority of these entities have done what they believed the state wanted them to do. They worked to comply with the law, including the state’s new fair share rules, and filing deadlines. Few opted to pay rather than comply.  With these proposed changes, especially including that quarterly test, it seems to them that what the state now wants is not compliance, but payment.

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Massachusetts Community First Olmstead Plan

Massachusetts Olmstead Plan. The Press Release comes from the office of Governor Deval Patrick and was announced on Sept. 12, 2008.

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High Gas Prices Impact Home Care Providers

Higher gasoline prices affect home care providers.

When gasoline was over $4 per gallon in June of 2008, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice released a study of how the prices at that time impacted home care staff and the industry. Click on the press release for more information.

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Testimony on Equal Choice Law

Alliance Executive Director Pat Kelleher’s testimony regarding the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs Oversight Hearing on the Equal Choice Law.

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Alliance Testimony to Health IT Council

Alliance Executive Director Pat Kelleher’s testimony to the Health IT Council

The Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts represents nearly 150 member agencies employing more than 19,000 workers who provide over 5 million home care visits each year.  The services they deliver to approximately 175,000 elderly, mentally ill and otherwise infirm Massachusetts residents should qualify these agencies as “meaningful users” of Electronic Health Records with Health Information Exchange connectivity.

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State Rep. Garballey Letter Opposing MassHealth Rate Cut

Letter from State Rep. Sean Garballey to Gov. Patrick opposing cuts to home health rates past 60 days.

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