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Location:
Las Vegas, Nevada
United States
Las Vegas, Nevada
United States
Work:
AARP State Office-Serving Nevadans statwide through information, advocacy, education, and community service
AARP State Office-Serving Nevadans statwide through information, advocacy, education, and community service
Quote:
"What we do we do for all." Ethel Percy Andrus, Founder
"What we do we do for all." Ethel Percy Andrus, Founder
Important Info on Access to Home and Community-Based Services
New AARP Report Finds Older Americans Have Limited Access to Home and Community-Based Services under Medicaid
In Nevada, 68 percent of Medicaid LTC funds for older people spent on nursing homes
WASHINGTON—A new report by AARP’s Public Policy Institute finds mixed results and promising signs among state government efforts to balance long-term care (LTC) options under Medicaid. Unfortunately, according to the report, only four states spent more than 50 percent of their Medicaid LTC dollars for older people providing home and community based services (HCBS). In Nevada, 68 percent of Medicaid LTC dollars for older people and adults with physical disabilities who have limited financial resources are steered to nursing homes.
The report, A Balancing Act: State Long-Term Care Reform, is the first to examine Medicaid spending on long-term care for older people and adults with physical disabilities, separate from other LTC users such as people with mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD).
Nationally, 75 percent of Medicaid LTC spending for older people and adults with physical disabilities pays for institutional care in nursing homes. In contrast, states have done a much better job balancing Medicaid LTC for people with MR/DD, spending just 39 percent on institutional care. The majority of funds now support people in home and community-based settings.
“We recognize the success state Medicaid programs are having providing home and community based services to people with mental retardation/developmental disabilities,” said Nevada State Director Carla Sloan.“It proves that balancing long-term care is doable and should be used as a model to help states provide home and community based services for older adults.”
During the recent special legislative session to deal with the budget shortfall, AARP Nevada fought to protect the home and community based services offered in the state by keeping the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement from being securitized. The funds from the tobacco settlement are the backbone of the home and community based service network. These are the services that help people live in their communities. If these services are eliminated then thousands of Nevadans may face having to go to a nursing home.
Also highlighted in the report are best practices from states that are making progress balancing LTC options. Alaska, Oregon, Washington and New Mexico spent more than 50 percent of their Medicaid LTC budget for older people and adults with physical disabilities in 2006 on HCBS. These states embraced a philosophy of delivering services in a way that allowed older people the greatest independence. The ability of some states to accomplish substantial reforms for older people and adults with physical disabilities – as well as increased HCBS options for MR/DD – demonstrates that obstacles to balancing LTC options can be overcome.
The report examines Medicaid LTC funding because it is the primary payer for LTC in the country. “This underscores the need for better government and private sector financing options for long-term care. Americans have few options to plan and pay for their long-term care. Balancing Medicaid LTC options will require a commitment from our state officials and cooperation from federal authorities. HCBS can be both cost-effective and responsive to the preferences of older people and adults with disabilities,” said Sloan.
The new report includes state rankings and can be found at: http://www.aarp.org/research/longtermcare/programfunding/2008_10_ltc.html.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 33 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 39 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Added: Jul 11, 2008
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