Medicaid

How The House GOPs Medicaid Work Rule Would Hurt Family Caregivers and People With Disabilities

The sponsors of the House Republican debt limit bill, the Limit, Save, Grow Act, say its goal is to encourage low-income people to work. But it may have exactly the opposite effect, especially for people with disabilities. And, at the same time, it may throw family caregivers into an impossible situation—having to choose between caring for their loved ones or [...]

By |2023-05-22T16:31:12-04:00May 22nd, 2023|Medicaid, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Biden Moves To Increase Pay For Medicaid Home Care Aides. Will It Work?

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has moved to increase pay for home care aides and others who provide personal care for frail older adults and younger people with disabilities. It has proposed new rules requiring Medicaid home care agencies to direct at least 80 percent of program payments for personal care services to compensation for care [...]

By |2023-05-05T11:04:31-04:00May 5th, 2023|Medicaid|0 Comments

The Government Offers Nursing Homes A Carrot, The Stick Is Coming

Nursing homes have been pressing for more money from the state and federal governments, by far their biggest payers. Now they are close to getting it, but the extra payments may come with costly new obligations, especially related to staffing. The federal government is about to increase Medicare payments for skilled nursing care and, at the same time, states are [...]

By |2023-04-12T16:39:56-04:00April 12th, 2023|nursing homes|0 Comments

The US Predicts Big Increases In Skilled Nursing And Long-Term Care Costs

New government projections estimate significant increases in both overall and out-of-pocket costs for home care, nursing facilities, and continuing care communities (CCRCs) through this decade. The projected steep rise in costs will lead to tough decisions for both consumers and government. The latest annual projections, by analysts at the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) forecast overall health [...]

By |2023-04-04T09:59:47-04:00April 4th, 2023|Health Care, Uncategorized|0 Comments

What The End Of The Covid-19 Public Health Emergency Will Mean for Older Adults

President Biden’s announcement that the Covid-19 public health emergency (PHE) will end on May 11 will have a significant impact on older adults. Some changes will be immediate, others won’t occur for nearly two years. Some may improve care for older adults, others could cost seniors more money and end some important benefits they received during the pandemic. Biden’s decision [...]

By |2023-02-01T13:20:13-05:00February 1st, 2023|Health Care|0 Comments

Look To The States, Not Congress, For Long-Term Care Financing Reform

While there is no chance the federal government will enact long-term care financing reform any time soon, several states are busy developing public insurance programs of their own. These initiatives could be a critical step as the nation wrestles with how to pay for personal care for older adults and others with disabilities or chronic disease. Washington State is refining [...]

By |2023-01-23T14:48:28-05:00January 23rd, 2023|long-term care financing|1 Comment

Maine Has A Plan To Help Family Caregivers. Other States Should Follow

Family caregivers are overwhelmed, usually untrained, and often under enormous financial stress. If they are lucky, they have a community to help support them. But unless those receiving care are on Medicaid, they get little help from government. Now, Maine has begun a program aimed at helping family members care for aging or disabled relatives and help themselves. Called “Respite [...]

By |2022-12-15T15:02:15-05:00December 15th, 2022|family caregivers|0 Comments

What Will The Mid-Term Elections Mean For Seniors And Their Families?

What will last Tuesday’s election mean for older adults and their families? A slim Democratic majority in the Senate combined with what is likely to be narrow Republican control of the House likely means no new legislative initiatives will pass Congress in 2023. The Biden Administration’s ambitious plan to support frail older adults and their families is dead, at least [...]

By |2022-11-16T10:42:53-05:00November 16th, 2022|Federal senior services programs|0 Comments

Medicaid Long-Term Care’s Real Problem Is Insufficient Resources, Not Abuse By Wealthy Seniors

Critics of Medicaid’s long-term services and supports (LTSS) program often complain that it is so poorly designed that lavishes benefits on wealthy retirees and wastes billions of dollars in taxpayer money. Some people do abuse the system. And they should be stopped. But the real problem with Medicaid LTSS is that in many states its benefits are so paltry that [...]

By |2022-10-06T09:42:28-04:00October 4th, 2022|Medicaid|0 Comments

A Valuable New Framework For Improving The Care Of Frail Older Adults

Imagine, for a moment, a functioning, well-developed system for improving the lives of frail older adults. Imagine that, instead of our current chaotic, dangerous, and needlessly expensive patchwork of care for seniors, the US had a well-coordinated care model that leverages and supports paid aides, family caregivers, safe and appropriate housing, and new technology. And imagine a system that makes [...]

By |2022-09-07T11:06:12-04:00September 7th, 2022|long term care reform, Uncategorized|0 Comments