This PHI policy paper tracks the growing size and importance of New York City’s home care workforce. It explains that the wages and benefits offered to home care workers do not reflect their value. The paper also examines home care payment and contracting policies, and suggests ways that those policies can be improved. Fair compensation for home care aides would help improve the quality of home care in New York.
Key Takeaways
Home care workers are not compensated in a manner that reflects their value.
There is a wage inversion in New York City: personal care aides earn a higher hourly wage than home health aides.
To improve compensation and address wage inversion, Medicaid contracts should be awarded on worker outcomes.
