Bill > HB2164

This bill, amending the Human Services Code, establishes a new Medical Assistance program allowing family members of eligible recipients to become certified "complex care assistants" and provide services under the direction of a registered nurse through a home health agency. To qualify, recipients must be under twenty-one years old or qualify for private duty nursing services, with complex care assistance serving as a supplement, not a replacement, for such nursing. Certified complex care assistants, who must complete seventy-five hours of training and a competency evaluation similar to home health aides, can perform tasks including feeding, medication administration, and therapy, but "skilled tasks" like medical administration and enteral care remain the purview of skilled professionals. Home health agencies employing these family members will cover the initial certification costs, which the family member will not have to repay, and will be reimbursed at a minimum rate of $45 per hour. The program allows parents or guardians to choose participation, and the state will seek federal approval to exclude income earned as a complex care assistant from countable income. An advisory working group will be convened to guide implementation, and a report on the program's viability will be submitted within three years.

Health and Social Services

https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb2164