The Joint Committee on Public Health held a hearing on Monday, June 23, to discuss H.2408/S.1633, "An Act relative to staffing at home health and hospice agencies." This bill aimed to grant the Department of Public Health the authority to set caps on the rates charged by temporary nurse staffing (TNS) agencies.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of TNS agencies operating in Massachusetts has surged, with these agencies charging home care providers rates that far exceed the reimbursement rates set by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). The proposed legislation aimed to extend the same rate caps currently applied to hospitals and nursing homes to home care and hospice agencies.

Although the hearing has already taken place, individuals who wish to provide their testimony in support of the bill can still submit their statements. Written testimony can be emailed to JointCommittee.PublicHealth@malegislature.gov, with "Public Health Committee Testimony, [Relevant Bill Number]" in the subject line.

The Home Care Alliance (HCA) provided both verbal and written testimony in support of this important bill, advocating for the regulation of staffing agency rates to help ease the financial burden on home health and hospice agencies. We encourage others to share their perspectives on this critical piece of legislation.