Colorado caregiver provider reacts to new caps on caregiver hours

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – The state is planning to put new caps on paid caregiving hours, cutting care per Medicaid member in half.

11 News shared how a Southern Colorado caregiver feels about the changes and also spoke with a provider to hear about the impacts it may face.

Pikes Peak Respite Services provides at-home and community care services to those with developmental delays. CEO Beverly Seemann said it’s not uncommon for the industry to see changes to Medicaid regulations.

The new caps look to reduce how many hours a caregiver can be paid for per Medicaid member, going from 16 hours a day to eight hours a day.

The changes will take effect in the spring or summer, pending federal approval.

Seemann foresees a loss in profit from the changes and plans to hire more staff to continue meeting customers’ needs.

While Seemann isn’t fond of the new caps, she said she understands why it’s happening. The state needs to get its budget under control, and Seemann would rather see Medicaid services reduced rather than become unsustainable.

What Seemann would really like to see, though, is more consistency between state departments regulating her industry.

The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing is leading the charge on these new caps. Seemann said different departments have different regulations, which makes it hard to know if providers are in compliance.

“Agencies and families need some more guidance on this. It’s been a huge challenge trying to navigate multiple systems that are not aligned,” Seemann continued. “You’re in compliance with one system, then you can be out of compliance with another, and it’s incredibly disheartening as a business leader.”

The caps are set to start during a health care worker shortage as well. Seemann said she does see a lack of nurses and certified nursing assistants in some areas across the state.

The CEO added that there’s never a good time for change, so she is working to help her clients through the stress they may be feeling.

The state said that, along with fixing its budget, the new caps will help with caregiver burnout. Seemann said caps won’t necessarily fix caregiver burnout, though, adding that it’s a bigger, systemic issue.

“We see caregiver burnout whether there’s caps or not. We see caregiver burnout due to lack of proper support, and whether that’s because maybe a family doesn’t know about services or maybe there is a shortage in their area, whatever the case may be,” said Seemann.

11 News will continue following the latest on these caps and if the change receives federal approval.

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