Currently, employees of licensed home care agencies or other similar organizations, who transport their clients while providing attendant services (e.g. trips for doctor appointments, personal consumption, and simple recreation), are not fully covered for this use by their private personal automobile insurance. They are subject to denial of claims for liability, collision or other events that should be covered by their existing private passenger insurance policies or may be denied coverage for this use. Both caregivers and their clients are poised to suffer as a result. This bill clarifies that employees of licensed home healthcare agencies or an agency or organization participating in the Home Care Expansion Program established by the “Home Care Expansion Act”, who drive their own automobile to provide services attendant to those provided by the agency or organization, shall be provided insurance coverage under the employee’s own private passenger automobile insurance. It does so by indicating that such driving does not fall under the scope of limousine, livery or autobus service and thus are under the scope of private passenger automobile coverage. The bill also provides that a licensed insurer of private passenger automobiles shall not refuse to issue, cancel, non-renew a policy or refuse to pay a claim based solely on a covered insured being an employee of a licensed home care agency or organization. Passage of this legislation has numerous benefits to the State and its citizens. 1) Bringing much needed healthcare to our most vulnerable citizens at no cost to the State 2) Promoting small business and reducing unemployment through hiring of additional homecare workers 3) Providing a homebound population access to local goods and services thus further stimulating the local economy 4) That it is morally imperative and politically timely 5) It facilitates the ability of the elderly and disabled to vote. Thank you for your consideration of this petition. We urge you to do everything possible to ensure its prompt passage.

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