Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up! 🫨 If you’re old enough to remember that classic commercial, well…you should probably get yourself a Life Alert. 🚨 #fullcirclemoment
PA’s aging population depends on agency home care workers to pick them up when they’re down (literally). However, a major low wage issue is causing a crisis in the state’s home care industry. 🆘
Here’s Five Fast Facts on PA’s home care crisis:
- 😤 Wage Rage - Home care workers in the Keystone state get an average hourly wage of $16.50 on the $20.63 Medicaid reimbursement rate. There are roughly 270,000 home care workers in PA. However, due to high turnover and low pay, an estimated 112,000 available home care worker shifts stay vacant each month.
- ♨️ Boiling Point - This problem has been simmering for a long time, but now people are worried it’s about to boil over. By 2030, over a third of PA’s population will reach retirement age. Unless PA lawmakers boost Medicaid reimbursement for home care workers, the crisis will continue.
- 🩼 Help Wanted - Last month, Gov. Shapiro proposed an extra $21M in his $51B budget pitch for wage increases and PTO for the state’s 8,500 non-agency home care workers. However, this group only makes up around 6% of PA’s home care workforce. Agency home care workers under companies like Bayada or Ameribest weren’t included.
- 👛 Coming Up Short - Compared to its neighbors, PA pays home care workers roughly $5 less an hour in Medicaid reimbursements. According to a rate study, the state’s home care agencies would need a 23% increase to make wages more competitive.
- 🥴 Sore Spot - Over the last ten years, the Medicaid reimbursement rate for agency home care workers only got a $2 bump. This low wage issue impacts marginalized groups the most. Over 80% of direct care workers in PA’s home care agencies are women and 46% are people of color.
🔥Bottom line: With PA’s aging population on a quick rise, agency home care workers will be needed more than ever. Let’s hope a well-deserved wage increase is on the 2024 bingo card. We’re coming down to the tax deadline wire. Have you filed yet? If not, check out this article for some last minute tax tips.
Do you work in the home care industry?
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