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Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library


Home Care Workforce Shortage Working Group

Also known as:
Shortage of Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses Working Group
Homecare Workforce Shortage Working Group
Active dates:August 1, 2017 - 2018
Function:

The chair and ranking minority member of the senate Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee and the chair and ranking minority member of the house of representatives Health and Human Services Finance Committee shall convene a working group to study and report on the shortage of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses available to provide low-complexity regular home care services to clients in need of such services, especially clients covered by medical assistance, and to provide recommendations for ways to address the workforce shortage.

The working group shall:

  • quantify the number of low-complexity regular home care nursing hours that are authorized but not provided to clients covered by medical assistance, due to the shortage of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses available to provide these home care services;
  • quantify the current and projected workforce shortages of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses available to provide low-complexity regular home care nursing services to clients, especially clients covered by medical assistance;
  • develop recommendations for actions to take in the next two years to address the regular home care nursing workforce shortage, including identifying other health care professionals who may be able to provide low-complexity regular home care nursing services with additional training; what additional training may be necessary for these health care professionals; and how to address scope of practice and licensing issues;
  • compile reimbursement rates for regular home care nursing from other states and determine Minnesota's national ranking with respect to reimbursement for regular home care nursing;
  • determine whether reimbursement rates for regular home care nursing fully reimburse providers for the cost of providing the service and whether the discrepancy, if any, between rates and costs contributes to lack of access to regular home care nursing; and
  • by January 15, 2018, report on the findings and recommendations of the working group to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over health and human services policy and finance. The working group's report shall include draft legislation.
History:

The appointing authorities must appoint members to this working group by August 1, 2017. The convening authorities shall convene the first meeting of the working group no later than August 15, 2017, and caucus staff shall provide support and meeting space for the working group. The Department of Health and the Department of Human Services shall provide technical assistance to the working group by providing existing data and analysis documenting the current and projected workforce shortages in the area of regular home care nursing. The home care and assisted living program advisory council established under Minnesota Statutes, section 144A.4799, shall provide advice and recommendations to the working group. Working group members shall serve without compensation and shall not be reimbursed for expenses. The meetings of the working group shall be open to the public.

The enabling legislation set a January 16, 2018 (or the day after submitting the report required by this section, whichever is earlier) expiration date for this group. The group held at least one meeting after that date. No final report from this group has been made available.

Membership:

The working group shall elect a chair from among its members at its first meeting. The working group shall consist of 14 members appointed as follows:
(1) the chair of the senate Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee or a designee;
(2) the ranking minority member of the senate Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee or a designee;
(3) the chair of the house of representatives Health and Human Services Finance Committee or a designee;
(4) the ranking minority member of the house of representatives Health and Human Services Finance Committee or a designee;
(5) the commissioner of human services or a designee;
(6) the commissioner of health or a designee;
(7) one representative appointed by the Professional Home Care Coalition;
(8) one representative appointed by the Minnesota Home Care Association;
(9) one representative appointed by the Minnesota Board of Nursing;
(10) one representative appointed by the Minnesota Nurses Association;
(11) one representative appointed by the Minnesota Licensed Practical Nurses Association;
(12) one representative appointed by the Minnesota Society of Medical Assistants;
(13) one client who receives regular home care nursing services and is covered by medical assistance appointed by the commissioner of human services after consulting with the appointing authorities identified in clauses (7) to (12); and
(14) one assessor appointed by the commissioner of human services. The assessor must be certified under Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0911, and must be a registered nurse.

Internet resource:
Documents/Articles:
News clippings and documents. Agencies Notebook Collection, 2017.
Record last updated: 03/29/2023
 

All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

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