Alaska House passes home care advisory board for Medicaid workers

The Alaska House voted 35-5 Monday to create an advisory board that will recommend Medicaid payment rates for home care workers, a move supporters say will keep elders in their homes rather than nursing facilities and save the state money.

House Bill 96 establishes a Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board to advise on payment rates for personal care services under Medicaid. Personal care workers help people with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and meal preparation. The services are part of Alaska's home- and community-based care programs designed to reduce reliance on institutional care.

Representative Ivy Fields said the bill serves Alaska's financial interest. "It costs more when our elders live in a nursing home as opposed to being able to stay in their own home. It is also more humane when they can stay in their own home," Fields said. "What this bill is all about is having a functioning home care workforce which is actually in the state's best financial interest."

Fields added that "the core provision of the bill ensures efficient use of public money by minimizing administrative overhead. That's a good thing to do across state functions. It's certainly a good thing to do for long-term home care."

The bill was originally filed to align with anticipated federal Medicaid regulations that have not been implemented under the Trump administration.

HB 96 was introduced in February 2025 and advanced through the House Health & Social Services, Labor & Commerce, and Finance committees before Monday's floor vote. The House adopted an amendment updating the bill's effective date from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2027. It has been transmitted to the Alaska State Senate and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.