Due to GAO’s advocacy efforts and that of our clients, employees, and industry partners, the Maryland legislature voted to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for all home- and community-based services by 30% over the course of six years! In addition to traditional lobbying and grassroots advocacy efforts, the skilled nursing unit collaborated with GAO to deploy a public affairs campaign that led to home care clients’ stories being published in the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun, thus further showing legislators and the public the dire need for a Medicaid rate increase.

This monumental increase will enable BAYADA to compete for approximately 50% of the state’s LPNs, who are currently more attracted to hospitals and other settings where wages are higher. This in turn will enable BAYADA to better fulfill its vision of serving millions of people worldwide.

GAO anticipates that, as a result of this increase, the skilled nursing unit will open an office in 2020.