Nearly Half Of States Now Using Medicaid To Boost Direct-Care Pay

At least 19 states have implemented strategies to increase direct care worker wages through Medicaid provider rate increases and minimum wage policies, according to a report from the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. These states include Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

According to a report by the National Governor's Association (NGA), two types of wage strategies are primarily being implemented: overall rate increases, and supplements to base rates. Sometimes methods vary between facility and home- and community-based . . .