WHEREAS:

New York State is attempting to lower health costs, like states across the nation, through the Medicaid Redesign Team and other reorganization methods to redesign and restructure the Medicaid program to become more efficient and provide better results for patients/clients in home care, nursing homes and direct care services; and

WHEREAS:

New York State agreed to a global cap of $15 billion to implement these recommendations to provide structural reforms that will reduce Medicaid costs and allegedly achieve savings without any cuts to eligibility; and

WHEREAS:

            A stated goal of introducing new controls in personal care and home health care was to rein in out-of-control costs and preserve access to vital services; and

WHEREAS:

            Streamlining and eliminating program regulations were supposed to lower cost and make health care easier to navigate for patient/clients; and

WHEREAS:

Service providers are faced with significant cuts in care as agencies determine care based on how much money can be saved despite the needs of the patients/clients, which has also caused tremendous cuts to employees’ jobs, wages and benefits in all industries; and

WHEREAS:

The managed care providers will in the long run provide fewer services but will retain profits while the standard of living for health care, home care, direct care and other workers will suffer.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME set up a joint task force to actively examine the managed care systems in New York, California and other states taking up managed care policies without significant lobbying efforts with legislators, providers and others who need to understand these policies before they are implemented; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls for transparency for all managed care systems before they are enacted and will lobby intensely on payment reforms, quality measurements, workforce flexibility and basic benefit review before these program are implemented; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME calls for legislation in states where managed care programs are being discussed to emphasize the roles that home care and direct care employees play and call for maintaining wages and benefits based on quality of life and retention issues; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That better training be provided to home care and direct care workers to avoid worker’s compensation injuries. AFSCME will lobby for ladders of success for home care and direct care workers through additional training and recognition; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That the managed care corporations must provide livable wages and benefits for all employees; and

BE IF FINALLY RESOLVED:

            That current and contractual wages and benefits cannot be abolished by managed care companies seeking to reduce costs while profit margins soar.