The Pennsylvania legislature finally passed regulations into law in December of 2009 that require Home Care companies to meet minimum standards to operate in the state. AAA Warman Home Care, LLC, welcomed the new law because we have long invested in higher standards of training, experience, and care as part of our effort to grow and succeed in providing the very best care available.

Home Care Agencies and Home Care Registries have until March 31, 2010 to submit their application for licensure to the PA Department of Health. Warman is proud to report that we have already received our approved license to provide Home Care services in the Commonwealth.

The regulations are intended to protect consumers by requiring Home Care providers to perform a criminal background check ont heir caregiviers. They also require providers to ensure the caregiver has appropriate training and skills to perform activities of daily living ensure they are free to communicable diseases and obtain references on their caregivers. The regulations require the provider conduct face-to-face interviews and test the skills of the caregiver.

Warman Home Care has surpassed the requirements for each state in which it operates (Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C.) by submitting itself to rigorous evaluation by the Join Commission of Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO). Warman received their Gold Seal Approval for quality and safety in 2007. JCAHO accreditation is the standard expected of hospitals and top quality health care providers nationwide.

Long Term Care Insurance coverage is a topic that comes up a lot at Warman Home Care because it is a type of insurance that often pays for “non-medical care” that Warman provides clients. It may not be right for everyone, but it makes sense fo rmany who want to stay independent, living safely on their own for longer, but needing a little bit of support.

Long term care is generally not covered by health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid, so exploring alternate options is a must for those that need the help. Although age is not a contributing factor to those who receive help, about 60% of people over the age of 65 will require some sort of long term care services at some point in their lives. Having insurance for this will help cover costs of home care, assited living, adult daycare, respite care, hospital care, and more.

Everyone should explore insurance options on their own to determine what makes sense for your own situation.If you want to learn more, this blog gives a great snapshot of how long term care insurance works.