Home-Health Employers Seek Exemption To ACA Regulations
By Mike Dennison, The Montana Standard, Butte | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"We don't have the ability to cost-shift," said
Revenue for these companies is dictated primarily by
Hanshew said if the companies are required to provide health coverage, they'll face "some pretty difficult choices," such as cutting employee hours or pay, to cover the cost of insurance.
Yet in
"We give a lot of credit to
"I just think it's been a blessing in my life, and it's a good opportunity for people who are wanting a job and looking for health insurance," she said. "It definitely attracted me to the job."
Crider works 25-30 hours a week providing in-home assistance to elderly and disabled clients, doing tasks like housekeeping, meal preparation, shopping or transportation.
"They only require 23 hours a week for you to be able to get the health insurance, so it's really good," she said. "Usually companies won't let you get your health insurance unless you're full-time."
Consumer Direct has been trying to get other states to adopt the
Now, Consumer Direct and other such providers are asking
"If we can't get this changed at the federal level, then we're faced with some pretty difficult choices," said Hanshew. "Those are painful choices that will make it harder to recruit for a job that's already hard to recruit for."
Companies like Consumer Direct hire and coordinate in-home health workers and are reimbursed by
Since 2009, the state has used
The state caps the amount of money that workers must pay for premiums (it's now
If the health insurance costs more than expected, the company eats the difference. If it costs less, the company refunds part of the subsidy to the state.
In fiscal 2014, the state spent
Bledsoe said once
After the nationwide recession hit in late 2008 and 2009, most states faced big budget deficits and weren't about to take on new programs that increased
Then, with the passage of the ACA in 2010, Consumer Direct began arguing that
Bledsoe said some states resisted because their legislatures or leaders opposed the ACA and "wanted it to fail."
"Everyone has an opinion on this huge national issue, but no one is willing to change anything, even when it comes to a group of low-wage workers who are providing health care," he said.
Now, as the 2015 deadline for the large-employer coverage mandate approaches, Consumer Direct and other
U.S. Rep.
No action has been taken on Daines' bill, however, and Bledsoe conceded that it's getting to the "Hail Mary moment" to expect
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