Long-Term Care

The ongoing debate over the federal budget and deficit reduction presents a balancing act for policymakers, as many compelling interests compete for scarce dollars. But for 10 million older adults and people with disabilities who need long-term services and supports, there is a “rebalancing act” in progress. The aim is…

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…

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…

This background paper examines various aspects of the Medicaid program that can expand access to home and community-based services (HCBS) and rebalance long-term care spending in favor of HCBS. As a result of the long-standing requirement that states cover facility-based care, the majority of Medicaid long-term care (LTC) expenditures historically…

This brief summarizes 15 states’ preliminary proposals to better coordinate care for people who are in both the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The design contracts, funded by the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), are an outgrowth of new efforts under the health reform law to develop service…

The nine million dually eligible beneficiaries are generally poorer and sicker than other Medicare beneficiaries, tend to use more health care services, and thus account for a disproportionate share of Medicare and Medicaid spending. Because they often have complex medical and long-term care needs, and must navigate both Medicaid and…

This fact sheet provides key information about the Medicaid program and its role in our health care system and state economies. The nation’s public health insurance program for low-income people is counter-cyclical, expanding during the recent recession to assist millions of individuals and families affected by the loss of jobs…

Enacted into law in 2006 as part of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), the Money Follows the Person demonstration provides states with enhanced federal matching funds for twelve months for each Medicaid beneficiary transitioned from an institutional setting to a community-based setting. In July 2010, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) surveyed states about the current status of their MFP program including trends in enrollment, services and per capita spending.

This case study of Ohio’s Money Follows the Person demonstration, known as HOME Choice, describes key features of the program and highlights early program experiences. Ohio was one of 17 states to receive federal funding for the Money Follows the Person (MFP) rebalancing demonstration in January 2007. The state was…

The following resources by the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) examine the latest data findings regarding Medicaid’s long-term services and supports for seniors and people with disabilities. The materials were released at a public briefing in the Foundation’s Washington, D.C. offices that featured an expert…