National report assesses home care policy

Report praises Ohio overtime improvements, suggests better funding and tracking.

For immediate release

Contact: Wendy Patton, 614.221.4505

National Employment Law Project report

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Ohio’s Department of Medicaid gets a shout-out for good policy in a new report from the National Employment Law Project (NELP) on how states are implementing important new labor rules for home-care workers. The new federal rules give almost all home-care workers the same minimum wage and hour protections as the rest of America’s workforce. NELP reports that since January 1, 2016, in response to the federal reform, the Ohio Department of Medicaid has provided overtime pay to some of the state’s Medicaid-funded home-care workers. Home-care workers provide supports and services for people with disabilities and elderly people who need help at home, allowing them to live where they choose instead of being consigned to institutions. The state Medicaid program plays an especially important role in setting industry standards because Medicaid and Medicare pay for about 80 percent of home-care supports and services. Ohio is expanding home care for older adults and people with disabilities. But low wages, averaging about $9.55 per hour, leave many home-care workers in poverty. Poor pay fuels high turnover, compromising the quality of care. Ohio has taken a step forward by paying some overtime to “independent providers”