Welcome to another episode of The Home Care Experience with T&A, where Amy Taylor and Troy Brooks break down the most important issues shaping the home care and hospice industry.

In this special solo episode, Amy unpacks the massive Texas HHSC payment model change that went into effect on September 1, 2025—a shift that impacts reimbursement rates, cost reporting, average wage requirements, and future compliance risk for every home care agency in the state.

If you’re a Texas provider, this episode is essential. If you’re not in Texas, it’s still a powerful preview of where similar policies across the U.S. are heading.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why ACERS was eliminated and what replaced it
• The real meaning behind the new “$13 average wage” requirement (spoiler: it’s NOT a minimum wage)
• How misinformation from monitors and MCOs created confusion for providers
• What goes into the 90% spend requirement—and how to avoid being placed on the new public “naughty list”
• Why raising wages across the board to $13/hour could put agencies in financial danger
• Strategic guidance on compliance, payroll structure, and preparing for the next cost-reporting cycle
• How the cost report system (STEPS) will change the way providers submit and reconcile their data

Amy breaks down these rules in plain English, providing clear explanations and actionable guidance.

Whether you’re an agency owner, administrator, compliance leader, or just trying to understand the rapidly shifting home care landscape—this episode gives you the clarity you need to protect your agency and plan ahead.

Chapters

00:00 Intro
01:01 What Changed on September 1?
01:16 Why Amy Is Leading This Breakdown Episode
02:12 Understanding the “Naughty List” & 90% Spend Requirement
03:30 The Truth About the $13 Wage Rule (Not a Minimum!)
07:35 Why Legislators Appropriated Funding the Way They Did
08:00 How HHSC Calculated the Statewide Average Wage Expectation
09:00 Misinformation From Monitors & Case Managers
26:55 New STEPS Cost Reporting System & Pre-Populated Data
30:00 What Agencies Should Do Next
31:00 Closing Thoughts

Listen On

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | TheHomeCareExperience.com

Hashtags

#HomeCarePodcast #HealthcareLeadership #HomeCareInnovation #TexasHomeCare #HHSCUpdate #MedicaidHomeCare #CostReporting #HealthcareCompliance

Welcome to The Home Care Experience with T&A! In this episode, Amy Taylor shares her journey into home care—from waitressing at Outback to becoming a trusted CPA and advocate for providers.

Chapters
0:00 Learning Through Messy Books
0:21 Narrator Intro – Amy Taylor’s Journey
1:29 From Oklahoma Roots to Accounting Dreams
5:01 First Job and Early Career Lessons
9:32 What Outback Taught Me About Work and Life
13:55 Discovering Home Care with Craig Carter
17:00 Starting Fresh and Building a Firm
21:05 Moving to Austin and Starting Over
33:17 Thinking Bigger and Expanding Vision
42:48 Why Amy Chose Home Care and Never Looked Back

💬 What was your biggest takeaway from Amy’s story? Drop it in the comments!

#HomeCarePodcast #HealthcareHeroes #CaregivingTips

Welcome to The Home Care Experience with T&A!
In this episode, Amy Taylor and Troy Brooks uncover why Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) are essential for HIPAA compliance, data security, and peace of mind in home care and hospice.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:30 What is a Business Associate Agreement?
5:00 Common misconceptions about HIPAA and BAAs
10:00 Real-life stories from the field
15:30 Cybersecurity and insurance challenges
20:45 Why you need to update your agreements
22:50 Final thoughts

👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Website

#HomeCarePodcast #HealthcareHeroes #HealthcareCompliance #HIPAA #Cybersecurity

In this episode of The Home Care Experience with T&A, co-host Troy Brooks flips the script and shares how he stumbled into home care law. From Louisiana courtrooms to Texas compliance battles, Troy opens up about his journey, the mentors who shaped him, and why he’s never left the home care community.

👉 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Youtube

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:20 From Law School to Louisiana Courtrooms
7:50 First Steps at Texas DHS
12:30 Choosing Nurses Over Policy Work
18:00 Moving Into Private Practice
22:15 Discovering Home Care Law
30:45 Why Home Care Providers Inspire Him
34:00 The Power of TAG (Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice)
36:15 Takeaways and Closing

#HomeCarePodcast #HealthcareHeroes #HealthcareLeadership

Payroll shouldn’t be painful but in home care, it often is. In this episode, Amy Taylor and Troy Brooks talk with Shelby Betts of WHIRKS Payroll about the biggest challenges agencies face when managing payroll, and how to fix them. Discover why outsourcing payroll can streamline your operations, reduce risk, and even improve employee retention.

🔗 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and visit https://thehomecareexperience.com

Chapters:

0:00 – Intro & Why Payroll Hurts
1:32 – Meet Shelby Betts & WHIRKS
4:41 – Outsourcing vs. DIY Payroll
8:07 – Overcomplicated Pay Structures
12:58 – Off-Cycle Payroll: A Red Flag
18:19 – Tax Filings, Compliance & State Rules
24:00 – The Value of True Service Providers
30:12 – Integrations & EMR Systems
37:05 – Transitioning to a New Payroll Partner
41:29 – WOTC: The Overlooked Tax Credit
44:00 – Closing Thoughts on Outsourcing

Hashtags:
#HomeCarePodcast #PayrollTips #BackOfficeSolutions #ShelbyBetts #HealthcareLeadership #HomeCareInnovation

Did you know that your “healthy” hospice agency could owe Medicare millions—years after the fact?

In this episode of The Home Care Experience with T&A, Amy Taylor and Troy Brooks explain the hospice aggregate cap and its devastating impact on unprepared providers. From the nuances of daily rate limits to the risks posed by patient transfers and average length of stay, this is essential for anyone in the home care space.

Expect honest stories, practical strategies, and some surprising revelations. Whether you’re just launching a hospice agency or acquiring one, this conversation could save your bottom line.

Chapters:

0:00 – Narrator Intro
1:25 – What Is the Hospice Cap?
5:50 – Balancing Long-Term vs. Short-Term Patients
10:45 – Transfers & Prorated Credit Explained
14:00 – Stories of Big Overpayments
18:30 – Monitoring & Documentation Musts
22:00 – Hospice Eligibility & Medical Necessity
28:00 – Guidance for New Owners
33:00 – The Culture of Hospice & Final Thoughts

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | thehomecareexperience.com

#HomeCarePodcast #HospiceCare #MedicareCompliance #HealthcareLeadership

Welcome to The Home Care Experience with T&A! In Episode 7, Amy and Troy explore the complex—and often misunderstood—world of buying and selling home care agencies. If you've ever thought about selling your agency, acquiring another, or advising someone through the process, this episode is for you. Get practical legal and financial guidance, learn what mistakes to avoid, and walk away with a much clearer idea of what it takes to succeed in a home care M&A.

You’ll Learn:

• What a proper M&A process looks like in home care
• Stock vs. asset purchase: pros, cons, and consequences
• How due diligence protects both buyer and seller
• Why rushing the deal can backfire
• When to call in the professionals—and why it matters

🎧 Don’t miss Troy’s real talk about brokers and Amy’s breakdown of why a “friendly deal” still needs legal backup.

0:00 – Intro
0:46 – What "Mergers & Acquisitions" Really Means
2:00 – The Realities of the Process
3:30 – NDAs and Sharing Info
4:30 – The “Non-Binding” LOI Myth
8:00 – Stock Purchase vs. Asset Purchase
13:45 – Due Diligence: Financial vs. Clinical
18:00 – Regulatory and Tax Landmines
26:00 – Cost Reports, Buyer Risk & CPAs
30:00 – The Broker Factor
40:00 – Red Flags, “Too Good to Be True” Deals
45:00 – Final Thoughts

Hashtags:
#HomeCarePodcast #HealthcareHeroes #CaregivingTips #MergersAndAcquisitions #HealthcareLeadership #HomeCareInnovation

Disclaimer: The information provided in this episode is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Always consult with your own attorney, CPA, or qualified advisor before making decisions related to buying, selling, or operating a home care business.

In this episode of The Home Care Experience with T&A, hosts Amy Taylor and Troy Brooks welcome guest Denise Bell—former home care agency owner, skincare brand founder, and bold advocate for personal growth. From Kodak cubicles in the '80s to Grammy swag bags in 2024, Denise walks us through her transformative journey through entrepreneurship, burnout, and rediscovery.

She shares how home health taught her about the selflessness of nurses, why she left it all behind, and what it really means to prioritize your own needs in a caregiving world. Expect unfiltered real talk, emotional insight, and laughter you didn’t know you needed.

📌 Chapters:

00:00 – Intro
02:15 – Kodak beginnings and the power of customer service
06:00 – Getting into home health: family, Craig Carter, and career pivots
11:00 – Burnout in caregiving: the warning signs and what comes next
17:00 – Reinventing herself at 44: Esthetician school and Five Circle Skincare
24:00 – The psychology of self-talk and finding your voice
29:00 – Practical self-care vs. performative wellness
36:00 – Rituals, relationships, and the ice cream story
39:00 – Denise's message for overworked women and caregivers
40:00 – Outro and future topics

🎧 Listen on:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | thehomecareexperience.com

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Five Circle Skincare (Denise’s brand)
• Baldwin Beauty School, Austin
• Craig Carter and the role of cost reporting in home care