Bill > S370

This bill aims to strengthen the Massachusetts Home Care program by requiring home care agencies that contract with Aging Service Access Points (ASAPs) to submit detailed annual cost reports, including expenses for supplies, labor, and administration, and to establish policies for investigating and resolving consumer and worker complaints through random, unannounced inspections. It also mandates that these agencies maintain a surety bond or other insurance to cover potential liabilities like wage theft claims. Furthermore, the bill directs the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) to update regulations to ensure a minimum base wage of $15.00 per hour for direct care workers within three years and requires agencies to reapply annually through a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Contract process. The Attorney General's office is granted authority to investigate these agencies, requiring them to produce documents, answer interrogatories, and provide testimony. A new Certificate of Need (CON) review process will be established by the Department of Public Health, involving an independent board, for any entity seeking to contract for homemaker, personal care homemaker, or home health services, requiring applicants to demonstrate unmet need, integration into the healthcare system, quality assurance, and compliance with cost reporting and minimum wage standards. Finally, the bill mandates the creation of a Home Care Worker Registry by the EOEA, containing information on all employed home care workers, which will be updated regularly and made available to the public.