Overregulated California skips key regulations
By Craig Dresang, CEO
California is the most heavily regulated state in the country. According to the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, the Golden State has 420,434 regulatory restrictions which is more than double the national average. Idaho has just 31,497 restrictions, and other states with powerful economic engines like Texas have 274,469.
So, it seems ironic that certain critically important sectors in California that impact the well-being, health and quality of life for millions of seniors are grossly unchecked and mis-regulated. Despite lawmakers’ fondness for regulations, they have left crucial industries that care for vulnerable seniors unchecked and largely uncontrolled. My husband, who has owned and operated salons for nearly 30 years, pointed out that California’s Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) appears to have more rigorous rules and regulations for nail technicians than it does for board-and-care (B&C) owners or privately owned hospice companies. Apparently, the BBC became especially rigorous in regulating nail technicians after a pedicure client once acquired a nasty infection. Yet, the State holds no equal scrutiny for those who provide housing or palliative services for California’s aging population.
According to the daughter, the owner of this B&C physically pushed her and even threatened gun violence. All of this prompted multiple calls and reports to the state of California which seem to have evaporated into the atmosphere.
On Aug. 28, 2019, the Sacramento Bee posted an article titled, “California hospices face lax oversight and few rules. The sick and dying pay the price.” In a state where the population is quickly aging and end-of-life care is in greater need, oversight has not caught up.
The Sacramento Bee unveiled “a system marred by lax oversight and an inability of regulators to take meaningful action against hospices that violate rules and jeopardize the health of patients.” When the department has investigated complaints and found deficiencies, owners are not fined or penalized in the same manner as nail salons or restaurants. Roughly 94 percent of all hospices in California have violated Federal guidelines according to the Sacramento Bee.
In March of 2022, the California Department of Justice (CDOJ) issued a report detailing the state’s history of lax oversight. “The state’s weak controls have created the opportunity for large-scale fraud and abuse,” CDOJ indicated in its report.
By contrast, YoloCares subjects itself to audits and scrutiny from Medicare and Medi-Cal, and partnering health systems like Kaiser, Sutter, Partnership Health and Blue Shield. The agency is also Joint Commission accredited which is considered the gold standard of accreditation and holds the national title as a “Best Place to Work” by Modern Healthcare. Beyond that, self-imposed audits related to finances and billing, use of technology, and HIPAA are conducted annually under the supervision of an unpaid board of directors.
YoloCares holds contracts with more than 100 facilities, senior living communities and care agencies. Staff are well-versed in collaborating with the best providers in a six-county service area. For more information regarding any of our listed programs, please contact YoloCares at 530-758-5566.
* Hospice
* Palliative Care
* Center for Loss & Hope
* Center for Caregiver Support
* Galileo Place (an adult day program)
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