Working in the long-term care industry, you most likely have heard of the national program called, Money Follows the Person. It is a 12-year old program that was designed with helping seniors and people with disabilities transition from nursing homes to in-home care and community driven care.
This program has been called one of the most successful and longest running programs of its kind to date. Statistics show that more than 75,000 people have benefited from the program, in 47 states. Originally, the program was set to expire in October of 2016, however, many states had remaining money, and not until now are they starting to run out.
While this national program is a Medicaid program, it helped people find quality care for a lower price. In fact, much of the data suggests that Medicare and Medicaid expenses were decreased after leaving the nursing home and acquiring the in-home care and community driven care. This is a win for everyone.
Since this program has been widely used and accepted by so many, two Senators are working on legislation to extend the program another five years. Changes could include reducing the length of stay in a nursing home from 90 to 60 days, enhancing state accountability within the program, and enhancing sharing of information between states.
While it is uncertain the fate of this program, with so many on board, and with the exceptional results over the last 12 years, most believe the program will be extended. After all, this program has shown to be a benefit to all involved.
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