Welcome to another episode of The Home Care Experience with T&A, where Amy Taylor and Troy Brooks break down the most important issues shaping the home care and hospice industry.

In this special solo episode, Amy unpacks the massive Texas HHSC payment model change that went into effect on September 1, 2025—a shift that impacts reimbursement rates, cost reporting, average wage requirements, and future compliance risk for every home care agency in the state.

If you’re a Texas provider, this episode is essential. If you’re not in Texas, it’s still a powerful preview of where similar policies across the U.S. are heading.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why ACERS was eliminated and what replaced it
• The real meaning behind the new “$13 average wage” requirement (spoiler: it’s NOT a minimum wage)
• How misinformation from monitors and MCOs created confusion for providers
• What goes into the 90% spend requirement—and how to avoid being placed on the new public “naughty list”
• Why raising wages across the board to $13/hour could put agencies in financial danger
• Strategic guidance on compliance, payroll structure, and preparing for the next cost-reporting cycle
• How the cost report system (STEPS) will change the way providers submit and reconcile their data

Amy breaks down these rules in plain English, providing clear explanations and actionable guidance.

Whether you’re an agency owner, administrator, compliance leader, or just trying to understand the rapidly shifting home care landscape—this episode gives you the clarity you need to protect your agency and plan ahead.

Chapters

00:00 Intro
01:01 What Changed on September 1?
01:16 Why Amy Is Leading This Breakdown Episode
02:12 Understanding the “Naughty List” & 90% Spend Requirement
03:30 The Truth About the $13 Wage Rule (Not a Minimum!)
07:35 Why Legislators Appropriated Funding the Way They Did
08:00 How HHSC Calculated the Statewide Average Wage Expectation
09:00 Misinformation From Monitors & Case Managers
26:55 New STEPS Cost Reporting System & Pre-Populated Data
30:00 What Agencies Should Do Next
31:00 Closing Thoughts

Listen On

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | TheHomeCareExperience.com

Hashtags

#HomeCarePodcast #HealthcareLeadership #HomeCareInnovation #TexasHomeCare #HHSCUpdate #MedicaidHomeCare #CostReporting #HealthcareCompliance

Welcome to The Home Care Experience with T&A! In this episode, Amy Taylor shares her journey into home care—from waitressing at Outback to becoming a trusted CPA and advocate for providers.

Chapters
0:00 Learning Through Messy Books
0:21 Narrator Intro – Amy Taylor’s Journey
1:29 From Oklahoma Roots to Accounting Dreams
5:01 First Job and Early Career Lessons
9:32 What Outback Taught Me About Work and Life
13:55 Discovering Home Care with Craig Carter
17:00 Starting Fresh and Building a Firm
21:05 Moving to Austin and Starting Over
33:17 Thinking Bigger and Expanding Vision
42:48 Why Amy Chose Home Care and Never Looked Back

💬 What was your biggest takeaway from Amy’s story? Drop it in the comments!

#HomeCarePodcast #HealthcareHeroes #CaregivingTips

Welcome to The Home Care Experience with T&A!
In this episode, Amy Taylor and Troy Brooks uncover why Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) are essential for HIPAA compliance, data security, and peace of mind in home care and hospice.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:30 What is a Business Associate Agreement?
5:00 Common misconceptions about HIPAA and BAAs
10:00 Real-life stories from the field
15:30 Cybersecurity and insurance challenges
20:45 Why you need to update your agreements
22:50 Final thoughts

👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Website

#HomeCarePodcast #HealthcareHeroes #HealthcareCompliance #HIPAA #Cybersecurity