The 2023 legislative session in South Carolina has officially come to a close and, thanks to the hard work of our Hearts for Home Care advocates and our coalition partners, home care advocates have much to celebrate this session!
In late June, Governor Henry McMaster signed the 2023-2024 budget, codifying permanent reimbursement rate increases and streamlining levels of service for critical Medicaid home care programs that keep vulnerable South Carolinians safely cared for at home:
While much work remains ahead of us to continue to address the home care workforce crisis, we made considerable strides this session, and it’s critical that we take time to thank the SC General Assembly and the Department of Health & Human Services for taking action on our behalf.
Take just one minute today to send an email to your elected officials thanking them for prioritizing Medicaid home care services this session!
If you have any questions, please contact advocacy@heartsforhomecare.com.
As a community of passionate advocate for increasing access to home and community-based services (HCBS), we want to thank the SC General Assembly and the SC Department of Health & Human Services for taking action in support of the tens of thousands of South Carolinians who rely on home care services.
Home care providers have continued to struggle to recruit the home health aides and nurses necessary to care for our state’s seniors, medically fragile children, and adults living with disabilities due to inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates. As a result, many of these individuals have been forced to regularly forgo care they’ve been authorized to receive, putting their health at risk.
Now, because of the General Assembly's support and the hard work of DHHS, critical Medicaid home care services, including Personal Support Services and Private Duty Nursing, will receive increases to their Medicaid reimbursement rates, which will allow providers to increase wages for the home care workers who work so hard every day to keep South Carolina families together.
On behalf of South Carolinians who receive care through these programs, their families, and home care workers all across the state, THANK YOU for your support and action this session.