Home Care Legislative Advocate Award
The Home Care Legislative Advocate Award recognizes the exemplary service and commitment of state lawmakers to the Florida home care provider community, particularly in safeguarding access to home care. This prestigious award honors those who demonstrate exceptional dedication to the well-being of home care providers and their patients.
Recipients are thoughtfully chosen each year by the HCAF Board of Directors and the Governmental Affairs Task Force, in collaboration with HCAF's external lobbying firm, Continental Strategy. These lawmakers play a crucial role in advancing legislation that significantly impacts the home care industry and improves access to essential services for Florida's most vulnerable citizens.
Past Recipients
The 2023 Home Care Legislative Advocate Award was presented to Representative Traci Koster (R-Tampa). This award acknowledges Representative Koster’s unwavering dedication to the home care provider community and her relentless efforts to safeguard access to home care services for Floridians.
Throughout the 2023 legislative session, Representative Koster's commitment and tireless advocacy made an indelible impact on the state's home care provider community. She championed HB 871, a pivotal piece of legislation aimed at protecting home health agencies from needless and costly Medicaid enrollment requirements. These gratuitous requirements posed a significant threat, potentially limiting access to top-tier, cost-effective home care for Medicaid recipients, specifically medically fragile children.
Although HB 871 did not pass, Representative Koster's efforts ensured that the policy was included in another bill, SB 2510, that did pass and was signed into law by the Governor. This much-needed policy change distinguishes Medicaid-funded Home Health Services from Private Duty Nursing Services. This achievement represents a resounding victory for Medicaid providers statewide, ensuring their ability to deliver uninterrupted care to the most vulnerable Floridians in the patient-preferred setting.
Former Executive Director Bobby Lolley, RN, expressed deep admiration for her advocacy, stating, “Representative Koster's dedication to our community is truly commendable. Her pivotal role in safeguarding home care services has been instrumental in benefiting countless Floridians. We are profoundly grateful for her tireless commitment.”
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