The need for well-trained home care workers is growing in Maryland as the population ages and more people with disabilities receive care in their homes rather than nursing homes. Maryland will need 40 percent more care workers over the next ten years. Residential Service Agencies (RSAs) report sky-high turnover. Workers are leaving for jobs at Wal-Mart or Royal Farms because of low wages and lack of benefits. Too many personal care aides who work under certain Medicaid programs are improperly classified as independent contractors instead of employees, contributing to the problem. Patients and their families are suffering as a result.

Maryland’s Medicaid wait list for homecare and community-based services has over 31,000 individuals on it– which is the third longest waitlist in the country. However, the state of Maryland does not know the number of home care workers to meet needs

We need the Maryland General Assembly to pass legislation designed to improve conditions and pay for home care workers to ensure quality of care for those in need, and to attract and retain more well-trained home care workers.

Tell the Maryland General Assembly they must pass Preventing Home Care Working Misclassification (SB 180/HB 489), and the Home Care Medicaid Rate & Wage Increase (HB 318/SB 604).