Home Care in 2025: What New Laws in New York and The United States Mean for You
Home care is an ever-evolving space. 2025 has ushered in some impactful changes for seniors, caregivers, and families in New York. While reading through the legislative terminology can sound complex, the question behind all questions is simple: how does this impact the day-to-day life of older adults who are relying on support at home?
“Behind every law or regulation there’s a family asking, “What does this mean for us?” We want to provide the answers.”
Increased Rates for Home Care Aides
As of January 2025, the increased minimum wage for home care aides in New York:
- $19.10 per hour for New York City, Long Island, and Westchester.
- $18.10 per hour for the rest of New York State.
What this means for families:
- Care agencies may become somewhat more costly.
- However, increased wages will potentially help keep more caregivers in the field of care, helping alleviate staffing shortages, and thereby giving families dependable assistance.
Changes to the CDPAP Program
Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) is a program that allows seniors and people with disabilities to retain a family member, friend, or trusted person as a paid caregiver. Lawmakers in Albany are making progress with new rules for 2025 to reintroduce choice for families instead of limiting the number of governing agencies in the process.
What it means for families:
- In the near future families will have greater choice in an Fiscal Intermediary (the agency that pays and completes the paperwork).
- This could mean less services, and less wait time.
New Rules for Home Care Agencies
The New York Department of Health created new steps for preparing home care agencies to manage their licenses.
What it means for families:
- Some agencies may have some stumbles and some paperwork.
- For clients, this should not affect their daily care cline however may slow the velocity of rollout to new services or new locations.
Medicare and Home Health
Medicare altered the payment rates for home health care in 2025 at the federal level. There are completely new rules for agencies to collect more information on clients (OASIS forms) to be rolled out in July.
What this means for families:
- If clients have Medicare home health care, the way agencies are collecting data to document care will be much more inclusive.
- For clients, probably they have to dig deeper during visits. This is all intended to track better quality of care.
Telehealth Rules Will Change Again
During the pandemic telehealth became a true godsend. In 2025 Medicare will continue pay for most telehealth services from home until September 30, 2025. After that, pay will be limited and patients will receive reimbursement for very few telehealth visits.
What it means for families:
- For now, seniors will see doctors virtually in their homes.
- Later in the year, telehealth visit coverage will decrease resulting in in-person visits.
Why These Changes Are Important
When taken as a whole, these new guidelines suggest two overarching trends:
- Caregivers are getting more supports – wages rising, acknowledgment for work and flexibility in programs.
- Paperwork and compliance are creating increases – limiting pay and/or how quickly seniors consent to care.
“Laws may be changing but the need is still the same – families need safe, reliable, and affordable care for their loved ones.”
Angel Care Inc. NY Supports Families
New laws or not, one thing will not change – families need support. Angel Care Inc. NY:
- Helps families understand what new laws mean for them.
- Provides families with support for their Medicaid applications and assessments.
- Provides families with trained home care aides with the wage rates as determined by the new law.
- Enrolls families in the CDPAP so families can be paid for providing care to their loved ones.
- Notifies clients when telehealth and Medicare laws change.
To Conclude
New laws in 2025 will change from home care in New York and across the country. Some of the changes will introduce obstacles, and others will increase stability and fairness in care.
For seniors living alone or living with limited supports – these laws suggest the importance of having a trustworthy agency watching out for them!
Angel Care Inc. NY is here to support families through each step from the laws to delivering care home. Despite the increased formalization of home, we assure that home received will be both safe, dignified and accessible.
Sources and Further Reading
For those who want to explore the official documents and announcements, here are the primary references used:
- New York Home Care Wage Increase (2025)
- Updates on CDPAP (Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program)
- NY DOH Licensure Amendments for LHCSAs (Home Care Agencies)
- Medicare Home Health Payment Rates (2025)
- OASIS All-Payer Data Collection Requirement (July 2025)
- Telehealth Policy Updates
- Federal Legislation – “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (2025)
In New York City many older adults live alone without family nearby. Living solo doesn’t have to mean being unsafe; with proper safeguards, supports and professional assistance, an older adult can have some safety, dignity and quality of life. “Living alone doesn’t have to mean unsafe — safety doesn’t depend on who is with us, but on the protective frameworks we’ve put in place.” Potential Isolation-Safety Risks When an older adult is home alone without family nearby, we have potential isolation safety risks that may end with Medical decline — no one is able to come to help immediately if a accident or sudden illness occurs. Socially isolated — high risk of depression, anxiety, or cognitive decline. Increased challenges with small tasks — shopping, cooking or taking medicines. Financial & safety risks — risk of scams or home disasters. Basic Safety Safeguards Older adults should develop safety protocols even without family members nearby; Alert system – SOS medical alerts. Regular check-in – from real neighbors, volunteers or community agency staff. Home preparation – lighting, minimal clutter, grab bars. Medication management – visual reminders and/or medication dispensers. Community engagement – clubs, libraries or social/cultural groups for friendships and engagement. The Importance of Professional Home Care For seniors without family, the essential services provided by home care agencies such as Angel Care Inc. NY include: Personal Care - bathing, dressing, grooming. Meal Preparation - balanced nutrition Household Help - cleaning, laundry, errands Medical Supervision - scheduling appointments and monitoring Companionship - trustworthy human company and monitoring to mitigate loneliness “Professional caregivers are not simply helpers; they are the lifeline that renders solitude synonymous with security.” Emotional Safety Safety is neither solely definable by physical boundaries, nor encapsulated within protective measures. Solitary seniors benefit from numerous other supportive undertakings such as: A regulated daily schedule Pet camaraderie Hobbies including reading, gardening, or crafts. Volunteerism, transforming solitude into contribution. NY Community Resources New York City has numerous programmatic delivery mechanisms to serve solitary seniors: NYC Department for the Aging - protective services, meals, programs Older Adult Centers - safe meals, socialization, and activities Volunteer Companion Programs - regular follow-up phone calls, or visits Medicaid Home Care Services - Long-Term Home Health Care services for eligible seniors Practical Safety Steps for Seniors Alone Contact a home care agency, on your own, through NYIA or a local agency for the least restrictive assessment. Enroll in a medical alert service. Attend a local neighbor senior center Seek professional help from Angel Care Inc. NY for an action program of home care Write up an emergency plan with health and contact information Final Thoughts An elder adult without family and friends nearby can live a safe and satisfying life. The right mix of professional home care, community service support and planning and prevention produces solitude into security. At Angel Care Inc. NY we aim to keep every elder adult- with or without families - cared for with respect and dignity in everyday living. 💡 Disclaimers This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical, legal, or professional advice. Seniors and families are advised to seek the counsel of qualified health care providers, social workers, and care coordinators to meet the individual needs of seniors and families.
