IHCCA Advocates:
The Idaho House just voted to postpone the vote on the Medicaid budget bill until Monday. It’s time to send a message to your representative.
JFAC approved the $11 million increase for home care! We need the House and Senate to pass the Medicaid budget for this increase to take effect on July 1.
Could you email your representative and ask them to support the Medicaid budget?
You can find your representative here: https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/whosmylegislator/ . Then you will type in your street address and city.
Click on both house members and click on their email to send an email.
Let them know how much this increase would mean to community-based home care agencies to provide care to people who want to remain in their homes. Home care services support unpaid family caregivers to continue caring for loved ones in their homes. Let them know that if people do not have the support they need in their homes, they go into a more expensive setting; they do not go away! They will go to the Emergency Department for care and can end up in the hospital for months and other long-term placement.
In addition, the growing home care industry contributes positively to the economy of Idaho through jobs and benefits to employees.
Let them know what will happen if we do not see this increase; Medicaid members will not receive the care they need because agencies cannot afford employed caregivers’ competitive wages. Tell them what you are seeing!
Kimberly Ouwehand
IHCCA President