Our only chance for higher rates and health insurance
Federation wins $5.8 million for Adult Family Home Providers
They said it couldn't be done, but the adult family home providers have done it!
With the help of the Federation and the Save Our Homes Coalition, lawmakers announced yesterday $5.8 million ($3 million state; $2.8 million federal) set aside for adult family home providers!!!
This will include:
The providers won this after a decade of ineffective action by WSRCC.
Your phone calls, e-mails and personal visits to legislators paid off in a big way!
We're winning with the Federation. With the Federation on our side, we've suspended the liability insurance requirement AND secured state funds for it. We've raised awareness of the needs of Adult Family Home Providers resulting in increased rates.
Now, let's win health insurance by winning the representaion election! It's time that Adult Family Homes receive fair rates and have a strong voice with DSHS.
Legislative Update:
CAREGIVER BILLS STOPPED BY FEDERATION
Lawmakers were considering a bill that would raise wages for caregivers, add administrative fees to providers, and give caregivers the right to unionize.
The Federation opposed these bills - effectively - and STOPPED HB 2672 and SB 6350 from moving forward.
The state is not adequately paying AFH Providers for the care they provide to Medicaid residents and the state must address this before they talk about increased wages for AFH Caregivers.
Many Providers are making only $2-$4 per hour to care for Medicaid clients 24 hours a day. They cannot afford additional cost that unionizing caregivers would demand.
Lawmakers have been debating whether or not AFH owners should be required to have 50 additional hours of continuing education. The Federation has been lobbying to STOP this bill and exempt adult family home providers.
RATE INCREASES
Over 1000 Providers signed Save Our Homes petitions to RAISE OUR RATES to a minimum of $100 per day for state clients. These petitions were delivered to the Governor's office in February by the Federation.
LIABILITY INSURANCE
The requirement that Adult Family Homes to purchase liability insurance by a 12/1/07 deadline or lose their license sent a shock wave through the industry, threatening the closure of many homes.
ADULT FAMILY HOME PROVIDERS CAN CONTINUE THIS WINNING STREAK
These gains are great - but there's more IF we make the right choice. We still have the opportunity to get Health Care and continue our work on raising our rates. But we need an organization with the power - the clout - to really get things done.
Join us - vote Washington Federation of State Employees.
STILL NOT SURE - HAVE QUESTIONS?
We have answers. If you haven't decided who to choose in the AFH Provider election - call us at 866-820-2291. Give us the opportunity to answer your questions.
Let's keep winning. Let's vote Washington Federation of State Employees.
They said it couldn't be done, but the adult family home providers have done it!
With the help of the Federation and the Save Our Homes Coalition, lawmakers announced yesterday $5.8 million ($3 million state; $2.8 million federal) set aside for adult family home providers!!!
This will include:
- Rate increase across the board of 4.8% to begin July 2008.
- 17 CARE level assessment system which will increase rates even more and more closely reflect the acuity of clients served.
- State funding for liability insurance.
The providers won this after a decade of ineffective action by WSRCC.
Your phone calls, e-mails and personal visits to legislators paid off in a big way!
We're winning with the Federation. With the Federation on our side, we've suspended the liability insurance requirement AND secured state funds for it. We've raised awareness of the needs of Adult Family Home Providers resulting in increased rates.
Now, let's win health insurance by winning the representaion election! It's time that Adult Family Homes receive fair rates and have a strong voice with DSHS.
Legislative Update:
CAREGIVER BILLS STOPPED BY FEDERATION
Lawmakers were considering a bill that would raise wages for caregivers, add administrative fees to providers, and give caregivers the right to unionize.
The Federation opposed these bills - effectively - and STOPPED HB 2672 and SB 6350 from moving forward.
The state is not adequately paying AFH Providers for the care they provide to Medicaid residents and the state must address this before they talk about increased wages for AFH Caregivers.
Many Providers are making only $2-$4 per hour to care for Medicaid clients 24 hours a day. They cannot afford additional cost that unionizing caregivers would demand.
Good News:CONTINUING EDUCATION BILL UPDATE
The Federation and Save Our Homes activists signed hundreds of petitions that were delivered to key decision-makers, lobbied taskforce and committee members, and delivered them to the Governor's office.
The Results:
Our actions - the Federation and Save Our Homes activists - put a halt to the Caregiver Bills during the 2008 legislative session.
Fact Check:
WSRCC is trying to confuse providers with lies and half truths. They have even lied and said the Federation wants to unionize your caregivers. This is completely untrue.The Federation opposed the caregiver bill and stopped it.
Don't let WSRCC distort the facts. Get the facts at FACT CHECK.
Lawmakers have been debating whether or not AFH owners should be required to have 50 additional hours of continuing education. The Federation has been lobbying to STOP this bill and exempt adult family home providers.
Good news:
The Federation lobbyists and providers have lobbied to get Adult family home providers exempt from the bill and WE DID IT.
The Results:
Congratulations! There will NOT be any additional required training hours for adult family home providers in this budget. Federation lobbyists will continue to look out for laws that could be bad for providers and stop them. Finally, AFH providers have someone looking out for them in Olympia to stop bad laws!
The Federation lobbyists and providers have lobbied to get Adult family home providers exempt from the bill and WE DID IT.
The Results:
Congratulations! There will NOT be any additional required training hours for adult family home providers in this budget. Federation lobbyists will continue to look out for laws that could be bad for providers and stop them. Finally, AFH providers have someone looking out for them in Olympia to stop bad laws!
RATE INCREASESOver 1000 Providers signed Save Our Homes petitions to RAISE OUR RATES to a minimum of $100 per day for state clients. These petitions were delivered to the Governor's office in February by the Federation.
Good News:
Our message WAS heard resulting in $5.8 million ($3 million state; $2.8 million federal) for: implementation of a payment system for 17 CARE levels that will closely reflect the acuity of clients regardless of the care setting; funding sufficient to offset liability insurance costs; and a 4.8 percent rate increase for Adult Family Home Providers on July 1, 2008.
The Results:
AFH Providers are finally on their way to getting fair and equitable treatment from the state. The Federation's clout CAN open doors for Providers to get things done.
This is what we can continue to do with a REAL voice in Olympia-- with the power to get things done.
Fact Check:
Providers' current representative, the WSRCC, has failed to raise rates. In 10 years, the cost of living has increased 25%, but rates have increased less than 12%.
Our message WAS heard resulting in $5.8 million ($3 million state; $2.8 million federal) for: implementation of a payment system for 17 CARE levels that will closely reflect the acuity of clients regardless of the care setting; funding sufficient to offset liability insurance costs; and a 4.8 percent rate increase for Adult Family Home Providers on July 1, 2008.
The Results:
AFH Providers are finally on their way to getting fair and equitable treatment from the state. The Federation's clout CAN open doors for Providers to get things done.
This is what we can continue to do with a REAL voice in Olympia-- with the power to get things done.
Fact Check:
Providers' current representative, the WSRCC, has failed to raise rates. In 10 years, the cost of living has increased 25%, but rates have increased less than 12%.
LIABILITY INSURANCEThe requirement that Adult Family Homes to purchase liability insurance by a 12/1/07 deadline or lose their license sent a shock wave through the industry, threatening the closure of many homes.
Good News:
Thanks to the Federation and petitions from over 700 Save Our Homes providers, the liability insurance was stopped.
The Federation lobbied to get the insurance requirement funded by lawmakers so that providers are not faced with these ridiculous costs again in August 2008.
The Results:
The 2008 state supplemental budget spells it out: funding is sufficient to offset liability costs AND provide a vendor rate increase of 4.8%. Fact Check: WSRCC supported the liability insurance rule and profited from it by making people pay membership fees to get a discount.
Thanks to the Federation and petitions from over 700 Save Our Homes providers, the liability insurance was stopped.
The Federation lobbied to get the insurance requirement funded by lawmakers so that providers are not faced with these ridiculous costs again in August 2008.
The Results:
The 2008 state supplemental budget spells it out: funding is sufficient to offset liability costs AND provide a vendor rate increase of 4.8%. Fact Check: WSRCC supported the liability insurance rule and profited from it by making people pay membership fees to get a discount.
ADULT FAMILY HOME PROVIDERS CAN CONTINUE THIS WINNING STREAK
These gains are great - but there's more IF we make the right choice. We still have the opportunity to get Health Care and continue our work on raising our rates. But we need an organization with the power - the clout - to really get things done.
Join us - vote Washington Federation of State Employees.
STILL NOT SURE - HAVE QUESTIONS?
We have answers. If you haven't decided who to choose in the AFH Provider election - call us at 866-820-2291. Give us the opportunity to answer your questions.
Let's keep winning. Let's vote Washington Federation of State Employees.
Vote in the upcoming PERC election to select your representative in Olympia.
