PHI Launches PolicyWorks National Strategy Center for the Direct-Care Workforce Promotes Information, Innovation and Action
New York— By 2016, the United States will need 4 million direct-care workers to care for America’s elders and people with disabilities—more than the number of teachers needed to educate our youth in grades K-12.
Yet America is unprepared to meet this growing demand. Continue Reading
On Friday, June 19, the House Committees on Education and Labor, Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce released an 850-page discussion draft (pdf) of their health care reform proposal along with a four-page summary document (pdf).
An AP story summarized the draft legislation by saying it would “impose new responsibilities on individuals and employers to get coverage, end insurance company practices that deny coverage to the sick, and create a new government-sponsored plan to compete with private companies” (“Democrats try to regain health care momentum,” June 19).
An additional document released by the committees titled “What’s in the Health Reform Bill for You?” (pdf) lists “12 ways health care reform will help you and your family” — and groups them into four main categories:
Lower Costs
Greater Choice
Stability & Peace of Mind
Higher Quality
Speaking at a press conference, Rep. George Miller, Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, said, “Today marks a historic moment in America’s urgent quest to fix our broken health insurance system.
“Our discussion draft is the first step in delivering on the fundamental change that President Obama has called for, and that families and businesses need, by building a truly American solution to reduce costs, offer real choice, and guarantee affordable, quality health care for all.”
On Tuesday, June 23, PHI will join other members of the Eldercare Workforce Alliance (EWA), in a National Call-in Day to send a clear message to Congress that a strong eldercare workforce is essential to real health reform.
As an advocate for quality long-term care, your Member of Congress needs to hear from you!
Fifteen U.S. Democratic senators have sent a letter to Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Hilda Solis urging the extension of federal wage and hour laws to cover the nation’s estimated 1.5 million home health-care workers.
Background
Domestic workers were excluded from the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that was enacted in 1938 to ensure a minimum standard of living for workers through the provision of a minimum wage, overtime pay and other protections. Continue Reading
A delegation of state lawmakers, representing 700 of their colleagues across the nation, delivered letters to the Obama administration and Congress on Thursday, June 18, supporting comprehensive health care reform, including a public plan option, affordability protections, and shared employer responsibility for premiums. Continue Reading
As states struggle to balance their budgets in the face of a deep recession, there has been little good news for long-term care.
At least three states, however — North Dakota, Montana, and Oregon — are using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to stabilize and enhance their direct-care workforces. Continue Reading
