AARP Leads Fight for Long-Term Care Reform

Source: AARP.org | May 23, 2003

AARP Leads Fight for Long-Term Care Reform

AARP is pressing ahead with its multi-year campaign to expand consumer choice in Michigan's fragmented system of long-term care. Our work in 2003 builds upon the significant advances we made in 2002 in collaboration with other organizations to develop a Call to Action that identifies these focal points:

• Creating a single point of access to the entire system for patients and their families
• Expanding consumer choices
• Implementing staffing and workforce innovations
• Identifying revenue streams to assist in long-term care improvement

These policies emerged from a statewide conference on long-term care organized by AARP Michigan at the end of 2002. In addition, we commissioned and publicized a statewide survey of Michigan voters older than 50. The survey showed that more than 80% fear that they will be unable to afford the costs of long-term care for themselves or loved ones.

Our hope for 2003 is to place long-term care reform on the agendas of the legislature and the governor.

To do so, we will continue working in collaboration with 21 consumer and advocacy organizations that have endorsed our call to action. With the help of experts in health care, we will develop legislative initiatives to reform the system.

Visit Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Project and Elder Law of Michigan for facts on long-term care and health care issues.