In america, Washington State has one of many highest minimal pay. In 2024, it can rise to $16.28 an hour for employees aged 16 and up. It could seem like that is excellent news for low-wage employees, but it surely has had the alternative impact on the well being care sector, which is now battling a critical lack of employees and a rising want for providers as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
A brand new examine from the Washington Well being Care Affiliation (WHCA) says that many well being care suppliers have needed to lay off employees, lower hours, or shut services due to rising labor prices and the shortcoming to search out and maintain certified employees.
What It Means for Well being Care Employees
The WHCA examine checked out 120 well being care services from everywhere in the state. These included hospices, nursing houses, assisted residing communities, and residential well being businesses. The examine discovered that due to the upper minimal wage, 76% of the services had lower employees, 58% had lower hours, and 12% had closed or deliberate to shut in 2024.
The examine additionally mentioned that the upper minimal wage would trigger 12,000 well being care jobs to vanish in 2024. These jobs would principally go to direct care employees like licensed nursing assistants, residence well being aides, and private care aides. These employees are essential for ensuring that the aged, disabled, and chronically sick get excellent care and help. These teams are particularly in danger for COVID-19 and its problems.
The report additionally talked about how onerous it’s to search out and maintain well being care employees within the state, particularly in rural locations the place residing prices are decrease and the minimal wage is greater than the going fee. The examine discovered that in 2024, 82% of the services had hassle filling open positions, 74% had extra employees turnover, and 68% had extra short-term or company employees. The report mentioned that these points have been brought on by the truth that well being care employees don’t get sufficient cash, advantages, or job choices, and so they additionally face extra stress, burnout, and the prospect of being uncovered to COVID-19.
Results on the High quality and Entry to Well being Care
In accordance with the WHCA examine, the upper minimal wage has additionally made it tougher for individuals to get and use well being care providers within the state. With the minimal wage going up in 2024, the examine discovered that 72% of services had lowered the standard of care, 66% had lowered the quantity of care, and 54% had lowered the quantity of people that might get care.
The examine additionally mentioned that the upper minimal wage had made extra individuals want well being care as a result of extra low-wage employees might get Medicaid and went to get main and preventive care. There have been fewer well being care suppliers, although, as a result of they couldn’t afford to take Medicaid or give providers at a loss.
The examine mentioned that the upper minimal wage might have dangerous results on the well being and well-being of individuals within the state, particularly the aged, disabled, and chronically unwell, who rely on well being care employees for his or her every day wants.
In accordance with the examine, elevating the minimal wage might trigger extra individuals in these teams to go to the hospital, get infections, fall, get damage, and even die. It might additionally price the well being care system and the state extra money and trigger extra issues.
In Conclusion
The well being care business, which is already having a tough time with the COVID-19 disaster, was damage by Washington State’s 2024 improve within the minimal wage. The upper minimal wage has induced lots of people to lose their jobs, well being care services to shut, and hours to be lower. It has additionally made well being care providers much less obtainable, of decrease high quality, and fewer in quantity.
The upper minimal wage has additionally made it tougher to search out well being care employees, who’re wanted to assist and look after the state’s most defenseless individuals. So, the rise within the minimal wage has damage each the individuals who work in well being care and the individuals who use it within the state. It could even have long-term results on the state’s revenue and well being.
