Committee hears broad support and concerns for statewide nonmedical home care licensure bill

Lawmakers and stakeholders from across the home care ecosystem testified in favor of H.789 / S.470, an act to improve Massachusetts home care that would establish a statewide licensure system for nonmedical home care agencies and entities that advertise home care services.

Julie Watts, executive director of the Home Care Aid Council, told the Joint Committee on Aging and Independence the council’s members include roughly 100 nonprofit and for-profit home care agencies that collectively employ more than 50,000 home care aides. She urged passage of a licensure system that would create baseline standards for agencies, citing background checks, minimum service-plan standards, training and competency requirements, workers’ compensation and liability insurance, complaint and payroll processes, and survey-and-investigation authority for regulators.

Supporters’ case: Multiple provider groups and advocates framed the bill as a consumer- and worker-protection measure. Jake Krolovich, executive director of the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts, said the industry has sought licensure for 15…