- Creation of SEIU Wisconsin Quality Home Care Commission Moves Forward
- Governor Doyle Appoints New DOA Secretary
- Joint Finance Committee Members Appointed
- PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES
- DHFS-DDES, BQA, BQC MEMOS
- NEW LEGISLATION
Creation of SEIU Wisconsin Quality Home Care Commission Moves Forward
Since the 1990’s the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has promoted the creation of “Quality Home Care Commissions” or similar organizations throughout the country in an effort to create a nexus for unionizing independent home care workers. This nexus is necessary for SEIU to efficiently unionize independent home care workers, since provisions in the National Labor Relations Act and other federal laws have created legal obstacles that make it difficult to organize these individuals. SEIU has been successful in creating Quality Home Care Commissions in states such as California, Oregon, Washington, Michigan and others. It appears that Wisconsin will likely join that list very soon.
The Dane County Board passed a resolution last August (Resolution #67 - attached) which authorizes the Dane County Executive and the Dane County Clerk to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement for five years with the State of Wisconsin creating the “Wisconsin Quality Home Care Commission”. It has been learned that Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk has submitted her appointments to this new Commission and Governor Jim Doyle is expected to make his appointments soon. The inclusion of the State; the recognition of the Wisconsin Quality Home Care Commission by the state; and, the ability for Medicaid funds to be used for this Commission might open the door for this organization to not only organize Dane County independent home care workers – but maybe expand statewide someday.
Powers and Duties of the “Wisconsin Quality Home Care Commission”
- Facilitate provision of supportive home care and personal care services, by, among other duties, providing employer-related services, including payroll, determining and negotiating of wages and benefits, developing recruitment and retention programs, and developing a registry of providers.
- Powers of the Commission specified in the Intergovernmental Agreement, including the power to: enter into contracts; employ agencies or employees; acquire, own, hold, operated, maintain, lease, or sell real or personal property; incur debts, liabilities, or obligations; sue and be sued in the name of the Commission; bargain collectively and enter into agreements with labor organizations that represent its employees, including providers; engage auditors to perform independent audits; invest surplus funds; study, develop, and prepare reports; and purchase and maintain adequate insurance.
- Funding of the Commission, which will be derived from the Medicaid program, other federal and state programs, compensation for services of providers, and such other funds as are appropriated for Commission purposes by a Party. The County Executive and the Dane County Board of Supervisors do not support the application of county general-purpose revenue for administrative costs of the Commission.
Governor Doyle Appoints New DOA Secretary
Governor Jim Doyle today announced that he is appointing Michael Morgan to be the next Wisconsin Secretary of Administration effective January 1, 2007. Morgan currently serves as Secretary of Revenue. Morgan will be replacing outgoing Secretary Steve Bablitch, who was appointed in September 2005. Prior to his appointment by the Governor, Secretary Morgan served the City of Milwaukee as the Executive Director of the Fire and Police Commission and as the Commissioner of the Department of City Development. He also held the position of Program Related Investment Officer for the Helen Bader Foundation. Secretary Morgan received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was a running back for the Wisconsin Badgers from 1974 to 1977.
Joint Finance Committee Members Appointed
The Senate and Assembly leadership announced this week the sixteen member appointments to the Joint Finance Committee. This legislative committee is responsible for receiving the Governor’s budget and accepting, rejecting or modifying the various budget provisions. This is considered one of the more powerful state committee structures in the country, since the Joint Finance Committee can make both appropriation and policy changes to the legislative budget proposal. The 2007-09 Biennial Budget will likely be introduced in late January or early February 2007. The Joint Finance Committee will modify and vote on the various budget provisions in the spring of 2007.
The Governor and the members of the Joint Finance Committee through the 2007-09 biennial budget legislation will determine CIP, COP, Community Aids, Family Care and Medicaid reimbursement rates and how Family Care is expanded statewide.
Please look at the legislators below that have been appointed to the Joint Finance Committee. If there is a state representative and\or state senator that represents your area – please contact them and invite them to tour your facility\organization. These legislative visits provide an excellent opportunity for the legislator to better understand the care services you provide and the challenges long-term care providers face, such as: inadequate reimbursement for care services; skyrocketing health insurance costs; ever-increasing liability insurance premiums; direct care giver shortages\high turnover, etc. We will need the members of the Joint Finance Committee to fully understand that long-term care funding programs deserve a funding increase.
The members of the Joint Finance Committee include:
- Rep. Kitty Rhoades, Chair (R-Hudson)
- Rep. Dan Meyer (R-Eagle River)
- Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greenfield)
- Rep. Robin Vos (R-Burlington)
- Rep. Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford)
- Rep. Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake)
- Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Madison)
- Rep. Pedro Colon (D-Milwaukee)
- Sen. Russ Decker, Chair (D-Schofield)
- Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay)
- Sen. Robert Jauch (D-Poplar)
- Sen. Mark Miller (D-Monona)
- Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee)
- Sen. John Lehman (D-Racine)
- Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills)
- Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon)
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES
Governor Doyle Town Hall Meeting (Open to the Public: Great opportunity to talk about LTC Funding)
Tuesday, December 5, 2006 4:45 PM – 6:00 PM
Howe Elementary School
525 South Madison Street
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Council on Long-Term Care Reform
Comprehensive System Change Committee
December 8, 2006 9:00 AM
Offices of the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups
2850 Dairy Drive, Madison, Wisconsin
Provider Organizational Summit (POS)
Friday, December 15, 2006 9:00 AM
Concourse Hotel – Madison, Wisconsin
Long-term care provider coalition. Meeting to discuss Family Care and provider reimbursement issues. Special Guests: Rep. Kitty Rhoades (R-Hudson); Lisa Ellinger with the Wisconsin Health Project. DHFS Secretary Helene Nelson has also been invited.
Assisted Living Forum
January 9, 2007 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Madison Area Technical College
211 N. Carroll St., Room 240, Madison, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Council on Long-Term Care Reform
January 12, 2007 9:00 AM
Offices of the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups
2850 Dairy Drive, Madison, Wisconsin
DHFS - DDES and BQA, BQC Memos DDES-BADR Memo 2006-20 (November 28, 2006)
Adult-at-Risk, including Elder Adult-at-Risk, Reporting Requirements
This memo explains the role county designated adults-at-risk and elder adult-at-risk agencies have in responding to incidents of abuse, neglect, exploitation and self-neglect occurring in entities regulated by the Department of Health and Family Service's Office of Quality Assurance (OQA). It explains the process to be used by a county designated adult-at-risk agency when referring an allegation of abuse, neglect and/or exploitation to OQA. It also explains why reports initially received by OQA may be referred to a county designated adults-at-risk agency.
OQA Memo 06-028 (November 15, 2006)
Adult-at-Risk, including Elder Adult-at-Risk, Reporting RequirementsFor Entities Regulated by the Office of Quality Assurance.
Effective December 1, 2006, Wisconsin Act 388 revises the reporting of, and responses to, abuse, neglect and exploitation of adults-at-risk (vulnerable adults age 18 and older), including elder adults-at-risk (age 60 and up).
OQA Memo 06-25 (November 15, 2006)
Patient Privacy During Inpatient Psychiatric Treatment
The purpose of this memo is to provide DHFS guidance to providers of psychiatric inpatient (residential) services about patients' right to privacy in relation to audio/video monitoring.
OQA Memo 06-27 (November 13, 2006)
Disaster Preparedness MemoYour facility is a vital asset, which plays a critical role in the health of residents in your community. There are many potential hazards that may damage your facility and threaten the health and safety of your residents and staff. "Preparedness" will help protect your facility, your residents, and your staff. The State Expert Panel on Healthcare Facilities has teamed up with the Office of Quality Assurance and the Wisconsin Division of Public Health, Hospital Disaster Preparedness Program, to provide resources and training for emergency preparedness, which will include: (More…)
OQA Memo 06-022 (November 3, 2006)
Medication Return, Donation, and DisposalThis memo provides guidance on situations where removal of medication from a Nursing Home facility is required. This memo also waives a portion of section HFS 132.65(6)(c) (see HFS 132 Wis. Admin. Code, related to medication destruction.
NEW LEGISALTIVE BILLS
Senate Bills:
- None -
Assembly Bills:
- None-
LRB Co-sponsorship Memos: (Legislative Drafts Not Yet Introduced as a Bill)
LRB 0143 (Wasserman) Accumulated unused sick leave for Legislators.
LRB 0211 (Wirch) Insurance coverage of prostate cancer screening.
LRB 0224 (Ellis) Ethics Board-Elections Board Reform.
LRB 0784 (Kedzie\Owens) Graduated personal tax exemption for Senior Citizens.
LRB 0785 (Kedzie\Owens) Exemption of pension and retirement income from state taxes.
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