Pennsylvania Homecare Association Expresses Deep Disappointment in Lack of Funding for Direct Care Workers and Nurses in 2024-25 State Budget

Lemoyne, Pa. (July 12, 2024) – In light of the recently finalized state budget for fiscal year 2024-25, Mia Haney, CEO of the Pennsylvania Homecare Association, expressed profound disappointment over the absence of increased funding for Direct Care Workers and Nurses in the state budget.

“Despite months of tireless advocacy and compelling evidence highlighting the critical need for support of our Direct Care Worker and Nursing workforce, we are deeply disappointed to see a budget that fails to recognize the importance of these critical home and community-based services,” said Haney. “These services are an important part in the prevention of more costly institutional-based care. Furthermore, we are seeing increases for these services in many of our surrounding states, leaving Pennsylvania as one of the lowest in reimbursement for care, with the greatest aging population. The result is a workforce compensation structure that simply does not meet current competitive and inflationary demands. Pennsylvania will see more workers leaving the industry and more patients waiting for care.”

The budget, which totals $47.6 billion, includes significant investments in various sectors such as education and economic development. However, it neglects essential areas such as personal assistance services (PAS) and pediatric and adult home health services, which play a crucial role in supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

Over the past several months, the Pennsylvania Homecare Association has made significant efforts to advocate for increased funding, including sending nearly 5,000 emails to legislators, gathering over 65 letters of support, organizing an advocacy day with over 240 attendees, and holding over 200 meetings with key decision-makers. Despite these efforts, the prioritization of other budget items ultimately overshadowed the critical needs of home and community-based services.

“We recognize the importance of funding education and other critical sectors. However, the decision to overlook home-based care leaves a significant gap in our healthcare system that cannot be ignored. We urge our state leaders to prioritize the health and well-being of all Pennsylvanians,” Haney concluded.

As PHA looks towards the future, its commitment to advocating for the needs of the Commonwealth remains steadfast. Haney concluded, “PHA and its 700 member organizations employ thousands of workers across the state. We will be tireless in our next steps to ensure that home-based care receives the recognition and support it deserves.”

About PHA… The Pennsylvania Homecare Association is a statewide membership organization of more than 700 homecare, home health, and hospice providers. PHA members provide quality care and serve as advocates for their patients and clients on a variety of healthcare-related issues. PHA and its members work to improve professional standards and ensure access to quality home care throughout the Commonwealth. For more information about PHA and its initiatives, visit http://www.pahomecare.org. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].