LTC Imperative Workforce Bill to be Heard in House Committee Tomorrow

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Erin Huppert

Tomorrow, Friday, March 25, critical legislation being advanced by LeadingAge Minnesota and our LTC Imperative partner is scheduled to be heard in the House Human Service Finance and Policy Committee.

The bill, House File 3729, provides permanent funding for nursing facilities and elderly waiver providers to address workforce and other critical needs.

Passage of this bill will allow providers to raise wages, recruit new workers, and retain the dedicated professionals who care for Minnesota's seniors. Other proposals moving through the Legislature provide one-time solutions which are needed but won’t address the fundamental issue – it will take higher wages to recruit and retain the workers needed to fill 23,000 open positions.

We want to thank Benjamin Thomas, Executive Director of Rakhma, who will be joining Kari Thurlow, President and CEO of LeadingAge Minnesota, in providing testimony at this hearing and representing providers across the state. This virtual hearing will take place from 8:30-10:00 AM. Members interested in watching the proceedings should visit https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/htv/schedule.asp.

Other bills scheduled to be heard by the committee tomorrow include:
HF3840 (Edelson) Home care services medical assistance rates increased.
HF4527 (Schultz) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Minnesota food assistance program; revisor of statutes instructed to renumber related statutes.
HF4447 (Schultz) Human services; frontline workforce strategies to retain, revitalize, and recruit provided; systemic critical incident review team established; ICF/DD operating payment rates increased; CFSS payment rates modified; various other provisions modified including disability and elder waiver, mental health, SNAP employment, and income tax purposes; and money appropriated.

For further information about the hearing check out: House Human Services Finance and Policy Meeting, 8:30am-10:00am.