May 27th, 2009

Yesterday the Patriot-News editorialized on the proposed creation of a state-run Consumer Workforce Council to manage home care workers.  Proponents of a CWC have been pushing for its creation through an intergovernmental agreement, which would not need legislative approval.

Writes the Patriot:

In a state with the third-largest elderly population in the country, the decisions we make about caring for our seniors and disabled are critical.

Most seniors and those with disabilities want to remain in their homes as long as possible before going into institutional care. This type of care has many benefits, and it tends to be lower cost than going to, for example, a nursing home.

In order to make this home-option happen, we need lots of home care nurses. Despite high demand for these workers, it is a particularly tough profession. The pay can be meager and often comes with no benefits, and that has been blamed for the heavy turnover in the nurses.

The Rendell Administration sent around a letter in January to county governments about its desire to create a “Consumer Workforce Council” of home care nurses. It would require that all of these nurses register with the government. The state entity would then become the administrative clearinghouse for nurses.

Proponents argue the council would ensure certain quality standards and do background checks of all the nurses. It also would allow home care nurses to possibly unionize and get higher benefits.

Opponents see the council as eliminating free choice. Many elderly and disabled like to select their own home care workers, some of whom are friends or family members or part-timers. This somewhat informal system has worked well for them and their nurses, and they do not want to deal with a centralized agency. Some nurses don’t like the possibility of paying union dues.

In April hundreds of people gathered at the Capitol to hold rallies on both sides of the council issue. There are not clear fault lines here. Members of the nursing, elderly and disabled community could be seen at the rallies for the council and against it.

Thus far one public hearing was held on April 28 in the state Senate. The only resounding message to come out of the all-day session was that a lot more conversation is needed about this council.

If Pennsylvania is going to create a Consumer Workforce Council, or some similar iteration, it should be because a bill was debated and passed in the Legislature, not because the governor goes through administrative channels to form the council quickly.

AARP, the largest association of retired people in the country, interestingly is somewhere in the middle on this issue. Given its experiences nationwide with some states that have similar councils and many that do not, it noted, “AARP does not think a Council is a magical remedy for all the concerns about work force and funding problem.”

Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland County), who chaired the April 28 hearing and is the only registered nurse in the Legislature, rightfully raised the funding aspects of creating a council such as this.

How the council will be financed still is undetermined. And we all know the state is struggling to pay for the basic functions it already has at the moment. Can we afford to add this on top of that?

The Rendell Administration would be wrong to form a “Consumer Workforce Council” for home care nurses without going through the legislative process. There are too many concerns.

If the council is the right path for Pennsylvania’s seniors and disabled, then let’s prove it by publicly debating all the issues and having the idea get enough votes to pass.