County officials call on Hochul to support increased wages for home care workers

40 offices for the aging across the state sent a letter to Gov. Hochul asking she help pass the Fair Pay for Home Care Act

New York is facing a crisis in the home care industry. The population of older residents is increasing, and there is a growing desire among the elderly and disabled – especially during the pandemic – to remain at home rather than in a congregate setting. At the same time, the state is facing a shortage of home health aides, in large part due to low wages.

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The legislation proposed by state Sen. Rachel May and Assembly Member Richard Gottfried would set a minimum wage of home health aides who are paid through Medicaid, who are among the lowest paid among home health aides due to rates of reimbursement available to their employers. The first pool of money would come from the federal government if Congress passes President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Act, with following years’ funds coming from as yet undefined recurring state sources.

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