RubyWell

Could you use some help finding ways to cover caregiving costs? CAN's partner, RubyWell, offers advice on where to get financial assistance--through paid family leave, life insurance policies, Medicare, and more. Go to https://lnkd.in/eshcgeH7 to learn more. RubyWell Julie B. Kennedy

Today is the first day of #NationalFamilyCaregiversMonth. We at RubyWell are so pleased to promote the voices, the hard work, and the immense value of the millions of Americans who care for aging or disabled loved ones. Family caregivers don't just create value for those those they care for.?They are generating systemic value across our economy every day: * Representatives from CMS and HHS are on record saying that family caregivers are the backbone of our nation’s healthcare system. * Studies show that aging adults with paid family caregivers at home have a 40% lower health system utilization rate. * AARP estimates family caregivers provide over $600 billion in care every year. Without these selfless daughters, sons, grandchildren, spouses, siblings, and friends, our healthcare system would collapse. So beyond recognizing family caregivers this month, let’s all dig a little deeper on efforts to develop ways to compensate this indispensable work force. #NationalFamilyCaregiversMonth

?? New challenge cohort!?? We’re proud to announce this year’s cohort of entrepreneurs participating in the Accelerating Innovation in Aging program, supported by RRF Foundation for Aging,?Next50 and the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.? Congratulations to Avanlee Care, DiscoTech Abilities Inc., Kintently, Legacy, RubyWell Inc., The Sandwich Club and ThriveLink. Register for the demo day today! ?? https://lnkd.in/gQg6CQZ7

We’ve all seen AARP’s $600 billion figure, representing the value of the collective hours of care provided by unpaid family caregivers in the U.S. But that doesn’t really paint a picture of the value of family caregiving on an individual level. Pharmaceutical company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies (U.S.), took a closer look at the value of dementia caregivers in particular. And given the hours (11/day) and responsibilities that the average dementia caregiver takes on (caregiving, financial management, etc.), they would earn an average of $144,000/year if they were paid at market rates. While Otsuka focused on dementia caregivers, the same would probably be true for family caregivers of aging adults with other conditions that can demand intensive caregiver support, like ALS, MS, cancer, or stroke. For those of us building solutions for family caregivers who are struggling to stay afloat, it’s important to understand their true value, and to develop solutions that help these caregivers recapture some of the value they are creating for not only their families but for the US economy as a whole. https://lnkd.in/exmGSeMm

Today #VicePresidentHarris announced her proposal for new #Medicare home care benefits on #TheView. Regardless of our politics, it’s safe to say that those of us innovating in the caregiving space are excited to see this issue get such high-profile attention and support. Of course, there are still some big ifs: If Harris is elected… If the proposal can make it through Congress (similar caregiver-focused policies haven’t survived during the #Biden Administration)... But I also have some hows: How will the proposed Medicare benefit improve on the existing one? Harris’s new Medicare proposal focuses on covering the costs for elderly Americans who need round-the-clock care, such as nurses and home health aides. But Medicare Part B already covers ongoing home health services such as nurses and home health aides for homebound beneficiaries. In fact, the law today requires that Medicare beneficiaries receive appropriate access to skilled home health care without the precondition of improvement. This alone has profound implications for patients with chronic conditions, disabilities, or those who have plateaued in their treatment. It also has profound implications for their caregivers. So, will the new proposal expand the definition of eligibility? Will it simplify the authorization and reimbursement process? Will it cover more services or more hours of care? Even ensuring that the current law is followed today would open up home health care to millions of people who currently need it. How will this proposal solve for the caregiver shortage? Medicare reimbursement for ongoing home health services will only make a difference to families if they can find home health aides to provide the care. And there already aren’t enough to go around. Will Medicare also cover care delivered by personal care aides? Will it pay family caregivers for the care they’re already providing, similar to many state Medicaid waivers? Many of us have pointed out that it will take the collaboration of the public and private sectors to solve the current care crisis. The prospect of building and refining our solutions alongside an administration that’s equally dedicated to our missions is cause for celebration. It also dials up the urgency for innovators to clearly define the value our solutions can bring to the table, so we can make any new policy work even harder for the families we’re designing for. https://lnkd.in/ejdpYRRe?

Waiting with bated breath to hear VP Harris on The View, laying out her proposal for new Medicare home care benefits for aging adults. More to come! https://lnkd.in/eXQ7b2Ku

Georgetown Angel Investor Network is excited to announce our investment in RubyWell. RubyWell is a platform that guides family caregivers in discovering various compensation opportunities and benefits available to them. Over 38 million Americans take on the role of family caregivers, resulting in $600 billion of unpaid labor. RubyWell targets the “Missing Middle” — a cross-section of family caregivers who do not qualify for Medicaid or other government benefits but are unable to afford private home care — and gets them paid.? Co-founder and CEO Julie B. Kennedy (C’93) and the entire RubyWell team are working to improve access to healthcare resources in the US, and GAIN is delighted to be part of the effort! #FamilyCaregivers #Compensation #GeorgetownAlumni #Hoyapreneurs #AngelInvestors #Growth

??? We are excited to introduce the nine companies selected for our inaugural 2024 Healthcare and Technology Accelerator Program! These women are driving transformational solutions in key areas such as cancer diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance, and at-home diagnostics - each working to improve patient care and outcomes. Throughout this accelerator program, these companies will participate in a dynamic series of workshops, led by industry experts, and gain access to Springboard’s vast network of advisors to accelerate their growth and impact. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gwx9xjBX Meet the 2024 Cohort: ? Phuong Jean Pham, Cellens Inc: Non-invasive cancer diagnostics powered by mechanobiology and machine learning. ? Cheri Ackerman, Concerto Biosciences: Unlocking microbial ecosystem insights for groundbreaking healthcare solutions. ? Julie B. Kennedy, RubyWell: Supporting family caregivers with financial stability through an intelligent, automated platform. ? Amanda (Curtis) Burkardt, PHIOGEN: Next-gen antibiotics tackling antimicrobial resistance. ? Pahini Pandya, Panakeia: AI-driven molecular biomarker analysis from H&E tissue images. ? Martha Sklavos PhD, PMP, PhD, Aloe Therapeutics: Enhancing immunotherapy for hard-to-treat solid tumors. ? Amy Urban DMD, DMD, Urban Innovations: Improving sleep quality with non-pharmacological solutions. ? Nathalya Mamane, RT MicroDx: Saliva-based at-home diagnostics for bacterial and viral pathogens. ? Adrianna Cantu, Revealix: Preventing diabetic foot complications through mobile thermography.

With fewer than three months to go before the 2024 election, candidates would be wise to study up on how voters feel about the current state of caregiving in our country, and how it’s likely to influence votes. The findings in this hashtag #morningconsult report, spearheaded by Pivotal Ventures and hashtag #BPCAction clears a path to the hearts and minds of the 1 in 4 voters who provide regular care for family members. The majority of family caregivers are experiencing emotional and financial stress. And across party lines, they want to vote for candidates who support increasing investments in caregiver support. Most existing investments have targeted low income households. But the report shows that only one in five family caregivers report receiving government assistance for the care they provide. This may be why over 80% of family caregivers are looking for candidates who support proven policies that can help more family caregivers. Policies like paid family medical leave, caregiver tax credits, expanded services and subsidies for long-term care, and incentives for employers to offer caregiving benefits. As an entrepreneur in the caregiving space, I know that it will take the collaborative effort of both public and private sectors to solve our country’s caregiving crisis. I hope all of us working on care solutions will keep this in mind at the polls in November. https://lnkd.in/gT-qSTQK

With fewer than three months to go before the 2024 election, candidates would be wise to study up on how voters feel about the current state of caregiving in our country, and how it’s likely to influence votes. The findings in this hashtag #morningconsult report, spearheaded by Pivotal Ventures and hashtag #BPCAction clears a path to the hearts and minds of the 1 in 4 voters who provide regular care for family members. The majority of family caregivers are experiencing emotional and financial stress. And across party lines, they want to vote for candidates who support increasing investments in caregiver support. Most existing investments have targeted low income households. But the report shows that only one in five family caregivers report receiving government assistance for the care they provide. This may be why over 80% of family caregivers are looking for candidates who support proven policies that can help more family caregivers. Policies like paid family medical leave, caregiver tax credits, expanded services and subsidies for long-term care, and incentives for employers to offer caregiving benefits. As an entrepreneur in the caregiving space, I know that it will take the collaborative effort of both public and private sectors to solve our country’s caregiving crisis. I hope all of us working on care solutions will keep this in mind at the polls in November. https://lnkd.in/gT-qSTQK