SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2055        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 354

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Julian Cyr

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act promoting affordability of home care services.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

1/30/2019

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/30/2019

Bradford Hill

4th Essex

1/30/2019

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

1/30/2019

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex

1/31/2019

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

1/31/2019

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

1/31/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/31/2019

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

2/1/2019

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

2/1/2019

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

2/1/2019

Paul F. Tucker

7th Essex

2/1/2019

Daniel J. Hunt

13th Suffolk

2/1/2019

Michael J. Barrett

Third Middlesex

2/1/2019

John J. Mahoney

13th Worcester

2/12/2019

David Biele

4th Suffolk

3/7/2019


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2055        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 354

By Mr. Cyr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 354) of Julian Cyr, James B. Eldridge, Kay Khan, Bradford Hill and other members of the General Court for legislation to promote affordability of home care services.  Elder Affairs.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act promoting affordability of home care services.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 19A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 4A and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 4A. The department shall establish a sliding fee scale to provide home care services for certain persons whose income exceeds the limits established under Title XX of the Social Security Act. On July 1 of each year, the department shall increase the financial eligibility limits for home services, including the sliding fee scale, by a percentage equal to the percentage increase in federal social security benefits for that fiscal year. The department shall ensure that persons eligible for services based on established age and functional criteria shall have access to care that is sufficiently affordable to prevent institutional long-term care placements unless such placements are in the best medical interests of said eligible persons; provided further, the department shall ensure that service recipients at or below the state median income shall pay no more than 60 per cent of the cost of applicable care plans. The department shall forward to the house and senate committees on ways and means on or before March first of each year, a full report on the status of the home care program audit.