OT Violations, Health App Partnership

[Updated November 25, 2017]

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill establishing a registry for home care workers, according to an article posted at masslive.com. Writer Shira Schoenberg reports that the bill was introduced as a consumer protection measure. The Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts urged the governor to veto the registry. See the text and actions for H.3821.
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Richard Overton’s home care isn’t cheap. The History Channel recently introduced Overton as the nation’s “Oldest Living U.S. Veteran“—a World War II veteran who is now 111 years old. Overton is dependent on home care, and the Austin, Texas, outlet KXAN via Kylie McGivern recently reported more about his cost of care and the difficulty of locating resources to help. 
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“This will be the largest Medicare Part B increase in five years after premiums remained relatively flat since 2013,” said Mary Johnson, a Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan advocacy group, and reported by Mary Beth Franklin via Crain’s Wealth.

[Posted November 22, 2017]

Lawrence, Massachusetts-based Maestro-Connections Home Health Systems, LLC (Maestro) was fined $1 million for overtime violations, according to a story in The Valley Dispatch. Dispatch writer Aaron Curtis reports the company employs more than 600 people and that employees will receive an average settlement of $1,450. Maestro provides both skilled nursing and home health aide services.
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The Middlesboro Daily News of Kentucky reports that the University of Louisville and Kindred Healthcare Inc. have formed a partnership for the purpose of developing health care apps. Kindred cares for more than 1 million patients annually. In August, Kindred reported solid growth for its Kindred at Home, said to be the nation’s largest home health, hospice and community care platform, and that its primary objective is to exit its skilled nursing business and grow its home health, hospice and hospital rehab business as strategic priorities would continue. The transcript of Kindred’s August 2017 earning call can be found at Nasdaq.