Certified Nursing Assistant Training and Registry
New York requires 100 hours of nurse aide training (the federal minimum requirement is 75 hours) and a competency evaluation.
Once a nurse aide is certified, the certification is valid for a period of 2 years (24 months). Recertification is required at the end of that period, and every 24 months there after. In order to be recertified an individual must have worked as a nurse aide for at least seven hours in the previous 24 months. New York does not require any additional training, coursework, or skills testing for recertification.

The Nurse Aide Registry is run by Thomson Prometric (visit their website by clicking here)

Health Care Workforce Recruitment & Retention Act
The Health Care Workforce Recruitment & Retention Act (HWRRA-Jan 02) was designed to address the shortage of health care workers in New York State by infusing new funds for workforce recruitment and retention.

This program is funded for three years at total cost of $3.5 billion of which $1.8 billion will be applied to raises for health care workers as well as for training & retention through competitive grants to projects that increase staff, training, education, reduce turnover, and raise quality of care. Of the $1.8 billion for wages, 38% goes to hospitals, 27% to nursing homes, and 34% to personal care.

The increase per hour is approximately $1.35 on top of the existing wage. Some portion of the $1.35 (probably about $.25) may be earmarked for support of the SIEU/1199's health insurance plan. The first two or three months of the full increase in wages for Local 1199 members will go entirely for support of the health plan.

This bill also establishes new programs that when phased in will cost $600 million including an expanded prescription drugs for elderly program, malpractice coverage for physicians, a Medicaid Buy-In program allowing people with disabilities to purchase health insurance based on their income.

Funding for this legislation will come from five sources: a cigarette tax increase, the Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield conversion, program cuts, new federal monies including a much hoped for increase in Medicaid federal share, and a 6% tax on nursing home bills.

Home and Community-based Services (HCBS) Waivers for Aged and/or Physically Disabled Adults
New York has one large home and community-based services waiver for the aged and physically disabled. This program serves persons of all ages, but applicants must meet a nursing facility level-of-care. The waiver offers a wide range of services, including chore/home maintenance services and respite. This waiver serves over 20,000 individuals.

For more information call the Office of Medicaid Management at (518) 474-5271.
For information on Medicaid in New York State click here

Long Term Home Health Care Program


The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) website below describes all such services nationwide.

www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidStWaivProgDemoPGI/

Home and Community-based Services (HCBS) Waivers for MR/DD Adults
New York has a home and community-based services waiver that serves adults (and children) with developmental disabilities who meet the ICF/MR level of care. This waiver serves over 46,000 individuals and offers a wide range of services.

For more information call the Office of Medicaid Management at (518) 473-2160.
For information on Medicaid in New York State click here

Home and Community-Based Services Waiver (OMRDD)

The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) website below describes all such services nationwide.

www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidStWaivProgDemoPGI/

New York Nursing Home Staffing Ratios
New York follows the federal standard, which are outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
42 CFR 483.30: Most recent available section: CFR Title 42 Part 483 Section 30(text)

The Health Care Reform Act
Health Care Reform Act of 2000 (HCRA), an omnibus bill with $9.1 billion in program funding: strengthens the indigent care pool; provides additional funds for rural/high-need hospitals; continues previous Medicaid cuts; creates new insurance initiatives to expand health coverage (Family Health Plus, Healthy New York); creates $58 million pool to make health care insurance more widely available but only to home care employees in New York City, and Nassau and Suffolk counties. Eligible workers include personal and home care workers whose employment is irregular, episodic, cyclical, etc. Also includes provisions to assist small businesses in providing long-term care benefits to their employees, and expands state-sponsored prescription drug coverage for low-income seniors (EPIC).

The bill also includes the Health Workforce Retraining Initiative that provides monies to support training for home care workers to stay current with job requirements or obtain new positions.

www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/hcra/hcrahome.htm