Governor Sam Brownback was in Wichita on Thursday making his points about a new Labor Department rule which will affect those who care for elderly and disabled people in their homes.
The governor met with elderly and disabled people at the Independent Living Resource Center. He presented his action plan to fight the new rule which is set to take effect by the first of the year.
The US Dept. of Labor will then require states who pay out Medicaid dollars for home care to pay the workers overtime if they work over 40 hours in a week.
The rules will affect mostly individuals not agencies -- as the person who needs assistance can contract with a caregiver who is willing to work for the assessed amount.
The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services doesn't like this and has asked the US Labor Secretary for an exemption or delay.
Brownback says that the rule is another example of federal overreach and that the unintended consequences could mean a threat to the system that is working well. And it could mean a shortage in quality home assistance for those who receive the KanCare funds.