Disability advocates are pushing for clearer privacy protections as states use a one-year extension to comply with a Medicaid requirement that personal care attendants electronically check in and out when providing services to people with disabilities.
President Donald Trump signed bipartisan legislation over the summer that delayed until January 2020 the start of electronic check in, which is intended to curb fraud. The bill also required the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to solicit public comment on the new mandate from patients, caregivers and state health officials by the end of this year.
In the meantime, advocates are calling for more involvement from federal officials. Late last month, the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, a coalition representing dozens of disability advocacy groups, sent a letter to CMS urging more stakeholder input and a clear directive to states not to use GPS tracking or “invasive devices” equipped with cameras, microphones or video.