Rhode Island’s home care advocates scored big when they received their monumental across-the-board increases for home care services last year. That’s because, in addition to the increases, an accompanying provision called for regular yearly cost-of-living adjustments (COLa) for services provided through licensed home care agencies. This means that each year, home care rates must be adjusted to reflect real market changes. On July 5, Governor Raimondo signed the budget, which included the first-of-its-kind 1.9% COLa for CNA and nursing services!

Significantly, this 1.9% increase represents the fifth increase for home care that the state has received in the past four years. Also significant is the fact  that, while home care rates have stagnated throughout most other states in recent years, Rhode Island has found a unique way of ensuring that home care staff and clients now can rely on the COLa to ensure they are not left in the lurch each year.

Thank you to the General Assembly and Governor Riamondo for investing in home care and supporting the work we do to keep Rhode Islanders safe at home.