Missouri Home Care Union

11/28/2017

Some have been spared. But those dealing with cuts face sacrifice: abandoned hobbies, unmade beds and cold houses.

10/25/2017

New report: 20% of home care workers live in poverty and more than half rely on public assistance.

Approximately 20% of home care workers live in poverty, and 51% rely on public assistance. The median hourly wage for home care workers is $10.11, which is $2.86 over the 2015 federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. When adjusted for inflation, these workers saw a 2015 wage increase of just 16 cents…

10/23/2017

Will state lawmakers keep their promise?

Missouri legislators can’t seem to agree on how to restore funding for aid to disabled residents. Despite vowing to reverse cruel budget cuts, they’ve shown little urgency to make good on their promise.

09/14/2017

State lawmakers failed to override Governor Greitens' veto of a bill that would have preserved vital care services for 8,000 vulnerable Missourians yesterday. If you have not already done so, call your state representative and state senator to tell them how important it is to find a solution and fast to save home care services for seniors and people with disabilities.

The vote to override Gov. Eric Greitens' veto and restore funding failed 49-106.

09/09/2017

"Without the $35 million funding fix approved by lawmakers, the $27 billion state budget changes eligibility requirements for Missourians to qualify for in-home and nursing care services through Medicaid.

"Essentially, people are now required to display more severe disabilities to get state-funded care, a change that could eventually affect more than 8,000 Missourians."

With more than 8,000 disabled Missourians facing a loss of state aid for in-home and nursing care, Lt. Gov. Mike Parson is calling for a special session.

09/08/2017

"The first wave of our most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, people with a disability and veterans, are feeling the brunt of Gov. Greitens’ cuts to services.

"Long-term care providers and pharmacies are beginning to deal with seniors, veterans and disabled Missourians who have been cut from services essential to their health, safety and welfare since the new assessments began July 15. The governor’s administration predicts nearly 71,000 of our most vulnerable Missourians will lose either their prescription drug benefits or long-term care services throughout the year as officials from his administration make their way around the state to reassess this population."

The first wave of our most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, people with a disability and veterans, are feeling the brunt of Gov. Greitens’

09/07/2017

"The state needs to do a better job of providing for this segment of the population. Devastating cuts to services that many elderly and disabled people depend on leaves them fearing catastrophe. Advocates say many could die. And many will have nowhere to turn when their home care funding ends."

09/06/2017

"About 60,000 people in Missouri use these services. But the department raised the threshold for those who qualify for in-home care back in July, putting thousands of those who previously qualified for the program in danger of losing it."

This year's budget raised the eligibility standards for in-home services funded through Medicaid, and that's worrisome for people who depend on those services.

08/14/2017

"Lawmakers approved a one-time funding fix aimed at avoiding cuts to the in-home care program in May, but it was vetoed by Gov. Eric Greitens....

"Essentially, people are now required to display more severe disabilities to get state-funded care, a change that could eventually affect more than 8,000 Missourians."

People are now required to display more severe disabilities to get state-funded care, a change that could eventually affect more than 8,000 Missourians.

07/26/2017

"Kudos to those Democratic Missouri lawmakers who still have not given up on trying to stop Gov. Eric Greitens from single-handedly taking in-home and nursing care away from 8,300 seniors and disabled people.

"On Monday, several legislators asked the state to drop plans to request a federal waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that would allow them to cut the program.

"That’s not just compassionate, but smart, because without that in-home care, older Missourians on Medicaid and Medicare will end up spending more on far more expensive hospital stays."

Kudos to those Democratic Missouri lawmakers who are still fighting to stop Gov. Eric Greitens from single-handedly taking in-home and nursing care away from 8,300 seniors and disabled people. Restoring funding is not just compassionate, but smart.

07/10/2017

Awesome group of leaders came together last week in St. Louis for a membership meeting to talk about our next steps to improve home care jobs and services in Missouri!

07/06/2017

This KC Star editorial nails it:
"Punishing Missouri’s most vulnerable citizens — children, the elderly, the poor — isn’t tough. It’s the behavior of a bully governor, insensitive to the needs of anyone except himself and his outsized political ambitions."

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens revealed a series of bill-signings and budget cuts Friday. Virtually all would hurt the poor, the sick, the elderly and those who face discrimination. It isn’t a pretty picture.