Bill > SB154

This bill establishes the Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board to investigate and improve working conditions for home care workers providing Medicaid-funded services in Alaska. The board will consist of 11 members, including representatives from state agencies, home care providers, direct care workers, service recipients, and disability advocacy organizations. The board will meet at least three times per year and is tasked with investigating issues such as worker wages, recruitment and retention, service levels, training requirements, and the economic impact of achieving living wages for direct care workers. Every two years, the board will prepare a comprehensive report with findings and recommendations regarding covered services, which the Department of Health must consider when setting payment rates. Additionally, the bill requires home care agencies to allocate at least 70% of their annual Medicaid funding for personal care services to employee compensation and benefits by July 1, 2026, increasing to 80% by July 1, 2030, with potential hardship exemptions for smaller providers. The board's first meeting is mandated to occur by October 1, 2025, and the bill's provisions are contingent on approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SB154