California officials condemned President Donald Trump’s administration over its proposal that targets unionized homecare workers.
On Tuesday, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Controller Betty Yee opposed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ proposed rule that will change the requirements for Medicaid payments for homecare workers.
HHS Proposed Rule Will Affect Over a Half Million Homecare Workers, People with Disabilities
In their letter, Becerra and Yee told HHS Secretary Alex Azar that the proposed rule, Reassignment of Medicaid Provider Claims, will hurt California’s ability to make payments for Medicaid homecare workers’ benefits. The state has 550,000 homecare workers.
In addition, they said the proposal will have a long-term negative impact on the lives of over half a million Californians with disabilities.
Furthermore, Becerra and Yee told Azar that the proposed rule is targeting states like California, which invested in self-directed service models. In 1974, California pioneered self-directed personal care services for people with disabilities. Instead of going to institutions, the program allows these individuals to live in their homes safely by hiring homecare providers.
