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KFF designs, conducts and analyzes original public opinion and survey research on Americans’ attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with the health care system to help amplify the public’s voice in major national debates.
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This updated fact sheet describes the nearly 8.9 million "dual eligibles," the low-income elderly and persons with disabilities who are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, why this population needs Medicaid, what services they receive from Medicaid, and what the new health reform law may mean for them. Fact Sheet (.pdf)
The nation's primary payer for long-term services and supports, Medicaid finances 43 percent of all spending on long-term care services and covers a range of services and supports, including those needed by people to live independently in the community, as well as services provided in institutions. This report provides an overview of long-term care users and their acute and long-term care service spending. The report finds that although the individuals who rely on long-term care…
This brief profiles several Georgia residents who have participated in the state's Money Follows the Person demonstration program, which helps transition people from institutional long-term care back into their homes or the community. It is part of a larger package of resources examining the Money Follows the Person program. Profiles (.pdf)
This primer is on Medicaid's role as the major provider of health coverage for non-elderly persons with disabilities and on the policy challenges that lie ahead. It also provides short profiles of people with disabilities from across the country. Report (.pdf)
Diane Rowland testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health about Medicaid’s development as a vital source of coverage for people with disabilities and its current role providing coverage and access to health services and supports for this population. Testimony (.pdf)
These briefs examine current issues in providing more people who need long-term care services and supports access to these Medicaid services in home and community-based settings rather than in institutional ones. The first brief, Advancing Access to Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services: Key Issues Based on a Working Group Discussion with Medicaid Experts , highlights key strategies to address financing, program administration and community workforce challenges that key experts, federal and state officials and advocates…
This brief summarizes lessons in offering more home and community-based services from states at the forefront of the effort. It describes current options for state Medicaid programs and draws on interviews with state officials to provide details about specific policies and procedures in states. Brief (.pdf)
Wednesday, Sept. 8, the Foundation held a policy workshop examining Medicare, health reform and the challenges facing people with disabilities. Younger Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities are much more likely than seniors in the program to report problems accessing and paying for needed medical services, Kaiser Family Foundation researchers report in this Health Affairs article. Based on a national random-sample survey of people on Medicare, the study finds that half of nonelderly disabled beneficiaries report problems…
Treating those with multiple chronic conditions, including the elderly and disabled populations, accounts for 30 percent of total U.S. health care spending. Half of this amount is spent by Medicare and Medicaid on behalf of beneficiaries eligible for both programs. This briefing, cosponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform and The Commonwealth Fund, looked at ways to improve the quality of care for the chronically ill while reducing the growth in spending for their care.…
There is increased interest among states in operating Medicaid managed long-term services and support (MLTSS) programs rather than paying for long-term services and supports (LTSS) on a fee-for-service basis, as has been the general practice. This issue brief examines key issues for states to consider if they are contemplating a shift to covering new populations and LTSS benefits through capitated payments to traditional risk-based managed care organizations (MCOs). It draws on current literature as well…
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