Direct Care Worker Insurance Finally in the Forefront of DHHS and Governor's Office

Thanks to the dogged efforts of Helen Hanson, Joyce Gagnon, and Roy Gedat, it appears that the Direct Care Worker Coalition now may have the best opportunity yet to secure tangible help for DCWs at the State House. On Monday morning (April 6th) the Insurance and Financial Services Committee will hear our bill, LD 1059. We are hoping that many of our members will join us at the IFS Committee room to show their support for DCWs and, if they are willing, to speak to the committee about the need for affordable, quality health coverage for these workers. If you, or people you know, are able to join us at the public hearing to show support for LD 1059, that would be very helpful. Background Update: To bring people up to date, through the continued pressure of the aforementioned individuals, the Speaker of the House and Senate President organized and attended a meeting of the relevant agency heads and Governor’s staff to discuss how to use the vehicle of LD 1059 to deliver coverage to DCWs. For those who are familiar with the Direct Care Worker Coalition history and the workings of the Sate House, they will recognize this as a milestone in the DCWCs years-long struggle. This is far more visibility and attention from the actual experts and decision-makers on this issue than we ever have had before. That is very very good. It was a productive meeting to the extent that substantive ideas and options were discussed and agency heads left having made a commitment to work through the details and return to legislative leadership with concrete proposals and cost estimates. Exactly what those proposals will look like remains unclear. It seemed less likely, exiting that meeting, that LD 1059 would remain in its current form. The Montana option remains a possibility, but others were suggested as well. A strong interest, in any case, was expressed by legislators (including leadership and Sen. Sullivan and Rep. Campbell) that this matter be taken seriously and that these agencies coordinate with each other to deliver functional options. In the meantime, leadership requested that we – the DCWC – attend the Monday hearings on LD 1059 and use it as an opportunity to educate the committee members (many of whom are new to us) about the importance of DCWs and the critical role they play in Maine’s health care system and state economy. The DCWC will be supporting LD 1059 at the hearings and express (politely but firmly) the need to quit talking about health coverage for DCWs and to actually get something done in this legislative session. I hope many of you can join us on Monday morning. email from Kurt Wise, the Direct Care Worker Coalition Facilitator