A citizen initiative on the Nov. 6 ballot in Maine promises what some may see as a big boost to home care companies – but there might be some flies in the ointment.
The initiative, introduced by Maine People’s Alliance, would establish a Universal Home Care program that would pay for in-home and support services for the elderly and disabled. According to the alliance, it would “provide in-home and community support services for all people with disabilities living in Maine who require assistance” and “make homecare a more attractive career, including higher wages and greater professionalization.”
The alliance quoted a home care worker worker, “I work full time and make eleven dollars and fifty cents an hour. Starting pay at my company is minimum wage. I rely on food stamps and Section Eight to keep my son fed and housed … Homecare workers deserve to be paid enough to support our families,” said Maddie Hart, from Auburn.
The program would be funded by a large tax on upper-income residents – 3.8% – on those making the amount above the level subject to Social Security taxes for individuals and families, which is $128,400 in 2018.
The bill would establish the program to provide the services to those age 65 or older and to persons with physical or mental disabilities residing in Maine who need assistance with at least one activity of daily living, according to the state’s attorney general.
It is probable that Maine’s experience is part of other efforts to pass such legislation across the nation.
Voters could enact the legislation next month if they favor it. The ballot choice is a citizen initiative, which has been used to bring into law 29 of 60 major pieces of legislation in the state in the last 110 years, according to the Main Compass.
Ambiguities present problems
However, it is not clear, according to the Boothbay Register, whether the threshold applies to a married couple filing a joint tax return, or an individual’s tax return. This ambiguity introduces a level of concern about the program.
One opponent of the measure, Stop the Scam, offered various objections to the proposal. One of them is that “the bill would require all caregivers, even those taking care of a family member, to join the Maine state employees’ union.”
Kevin’s take: In the light of the recent wave of Medicaid fraud around the country, one wonders about the wisdom of taking large amounts of fresh tax revenue and dumping it in the hands of very eager opportunists whom we know are in our midst.
It also seems clear that the measure’s promise of higher wages for home care workers would open a Pandora’s box of problems. No doubt that it is part of the movement around the country to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Such efforts would make home care services less affordable to the elderly, since the higher costs would be passed along to them.
