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MassHealth PCA working group, LTSS and health equity discussed; commissioners plan follow-up
Summary
Commissioners received an update on a MassHealth personal care attendant (PCA) working group, continuing long-term services and supports (LTSS) work and a health-equity roundtable; the PCA group reported consensus recommendations sent to the Legislature and will continue meeting.
Commission co-chairs of the commission’s Long-Term Services and Supports and Health Equity subcommittee briefed the full commission on recent MassHealth work and a health-equity roundtable held at the State House.
Charlie (last name recorded as Carr in the transcript) and co-chair Carl Richardson summarized presentations from Leslie Darcy, chief of Long Term Services and Supports at MassHealth. Darcy described a legislatively required PCA working group formed to advise the Legislature on potential changes to the PCA program. The working group provided a report in March with three consensus recommendations intended to reduce costs while preserving program control, choice and dignity of risk; the commission was told the working group will continue under a legislative request in the current budget.
“We reached as a group consensus on 3, issues that we thought would save some money, but not ruin the integrity of the program in terms of its control, its choice, and its dignity of risk involved in the personal care assistance programs,” Charlie Carr said, describing the working group’s approach.
The subcommittee chairs said they will continue to track the working group’s meetings and any legislative follow-on. They also reported a State House health-equity roundtable that brought health-equity leaders together to explore intersections with LTSS; commissioners asked staff to prepare a paper synthesizing findings and to schedule presentations on the topic.
Subcommittee chairs additionally reported concern at a reported cut to MassAbilities and the federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) basic grant that supports youth pre-employment training — funding reductions that commissioners said could decrease opportunities to engage youth in work and internships.
Why it matters: PCA services and other LTSS programs enable many people to live in the community rather than in institutions. Changes to PCA program rules or funding would directly affect consumers, families and employers.
Next steps: Subcommittee co-chairs and staff will continue to monitor the PCA working group, post materials to the commission website, and prepare a health-equity synthesis for future meetings.
