AFSCME Iowa Council 61

4320 NW 2nd Avenue

Des Moines, IA  50313

(515) 246 - 1517

1 - 800 - 372 - 6054

Fax: (515) 244 - 6467

Danny Homan, President

INDIVIDUAL HOME CARE PROVIDERS

AFSCME Iowa Council 61 LOCAL 1100

Winning Respect

IN THE PAST

WITH AFSCME Iowa Council 61

Voice in Decisions

Information providers received about the program was inconsistent, confusing, and unclear.

Providers through Meet and Confer with DHS have input in changes to the provider manual, handbook, and newly created standardized claim and log forms.

On-Time Pay

Upon receiving claims and scanning claims into computer, IME had up to 30 days to pay adjudicated claims.

Upon receiving claims, IME shallcomplete the adjudication process in 3 to 5 days. A clean claim shall be paid on the first payment date following adjudication of the claim, or second payment date if less than 3 business days (excluding Federal and State Holidays) have elapsed from the date of adjudication of the claim to the first payment date.

IME only cut checks two times a month.

IME cuts checks weekly unless a Federal or State falls in the week.  Checks are mailed Wednesday Evening and EFTs are deposited on Thursday morning.

If IME made a scanning error, Providers had to resubmit their claims.

If IME makes a scanning error on a Providers claim, a provider may ask IME to fix the error over the phone.

Communication With other Providers

Individual Home Care Providers stood alone and did not know how to meet other Individual Home Care Providers and/or know how to contact them

Some Local 1100 Chapter Meetings are being held monthly or bi-monthly for members to attend and meet other providers and learn what is new, old, and/or in the works.  To find a meeting in your area or to get a chapter meeting in your area, click here.

As AFSCME Individual Home Care Provider, we have a created a group page for fellow providers to join and correspond with each other. The group site offers you a way to ask questions to other providers who may have an answer, suggestion, and/or the same concerns. Please join our group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homecare_providers

Access to CDAC Information

CDAC providers had to search the Iowa Department of Human Services web site to find out about CDAC on line.

We bargained for DHS to implement a web page for Individual Home Care Providers which includes all manuals and handbooks, quarterly trainings available, applications, etc. Check it out at: http://www.ime.state.ia.us/HCBS/CDAC_index.html

Visible Recognition

No visible information for providers to check out available programs.

 Providers bargained to make bulletin board space available to the UNION in DHS office public areas for information related to individual providers and individual provider programs

Orientation of New and Current Individual Providers

There was no Union orientation available for New Individual Home Care Providers through DHS.

DHS will send New Individual Providers a packet of materials supplied by the Union including Union membership and Union orientation materials when they send the new Individual Provider their orientation packet.

Current Individual Providers did not know how to access any and/or know it was possible to access New Individual Provider orientation packets including the Union Orientation.

DHS will make available to all Current Individual Providers the materials available for new individual Providers within their waiver program including Union orientation materials

Grievance Procedure

Individual Home Care Providers stood alone on several issues such as: Late Pay, Scanning Errors, Compensation, etc. and could only use the Appeals process for disputes.

Disputes involving the application or interpretation of the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) are subject to the grievance procedure including biding Arbitration. For an active Steward, click here.

Individual Home Care providers stood alone in complaints of Late Pay, Scanning Errors, Compensation, etc.

Stewards are currently training to assist Individual Providers with grievance issues.

Individual Home Care Providers did not know where to turn for more knowledge, assistance, and guidance

AFSCME Council 61 has appointed a Union representative for issues moving on to 2^nd step, mediation, and Arbitration.

When contacting our legislators and the Governors office, Individual Home Care providers were one voice.

By working together, we can help make collective changes in the Individual Home Care Provider Waiver Program that is good for all Individual Home Care Providers and speak with a voice of all AFSCME Iowa Council 61 membership.

Still trying to decide if it is worth your time and money to be a member of AFSCME Iowa Council 61, Local 1100? Read each column again and decide which column best takes care of you!

To become a member, E-mail Robin White at rwhite@afscmeiowa.org and provide your first, last name as well as your full address and she will mail you a membership card today