Columbus, OH – All too often, Ohio seniors don’t have many options when it comes to long-term care choices. According to AARP, the majority of Ohioans prefer to receive care in their homes, yet three-fourths of Medicaid long-term care dollars go to nursing facilities. AARP Ohio State Director, Jane Taylor, says it would be more effective for the state to create a unified long-term care budget, which would allocate funding based on demand. “So, an individual is in charge of the care choice setting that they want, and the funding follows that individual. It especially makes sense when that individual, nine times out of ten, would prefer staying at home – and staying at home is three times cheaper.” Cuts announced recently to Ohio’s PASSPORT program, which provides in-home and community-based care services for seniors, would put 10,000 older adults on waiting lists to receive care. Inevitably, says Taylor, many will be forced into nursing homes, although home-based services are less expensive. A single line-item in the budget, she says, could allow for unified long-term care services. “Ohio has invested heavily in nursing home care, and we have more nursing home beds than are needed. When the costs are three times more in a nursing home, it just makes sense for Ohio to move in this direction.” Ohio ranks 48th out of 50 states in the low percentage of funding for in-home and community-based services. In AARP’s view, a unified long-term care budget would be the most effective and efficient use of taxpayer dollars. Those who disagree worry that such a change would weaken the skilled nursing facility business, which already is financially strapped. Mary Kuhlman, Public News Service – OH
Source: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/9474-1
