AAHSA's financing plan has proponents, Minnix says

from McKnight's: 


The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging's long-term care financing plan has gained traction with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, as well as consumer groups, said Larry Minnix, president and CEO of the association.

“It's not a red state plan or a blue state plan,” said Minnix during a press conference at AAHSA's annual meeting and exposition this week in Philadelphia. The conference runs through Wednesday.

The plan calls for a national insurance trust which would provide a daily cash benefit for people needing assistance. Minnix noted that AAHSA's plan differs significantly from the plan proposed by the American Health Care Association. The AHCA plan would ask people to purchase a long-term care policy or place funds into long-term care savings vehicles.

“It does some good things, but it doesn't solve the problem,” Minnix said. 

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/

10 Reasons Why Long-term Care Financing Needs to be Reformed in America

He may not be David Letterman, but Eric Schubert with Ecumen’s Changing Aging Blog can sure put together a top 10 list…and today’s topic is an important one: why our country must change the way we finance long-term care. Take a look:

1.  The Age Wave is Unprecendented:  About 10 million Americans need long-term care today.  (Note: Long-term care is an array of services, from home care to assisted living, not simply nursing home care.)  By 2020, 12 million older Americans will need long-term care.

2.  Americans Want More Choice:  People want more choices than ever in how they live and receive care.  The nursing home isn’t a place they want to choose. Guess what?  Many states rely on institutional nursing homes for long-term care.   To pay for choices that today’s consumer desires, we have to have new ways to pay for care.


Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Choice Cuts Costs in Medicaid Programs

States are finding choice is one way to cut costs as America ages.

Policymakers are learning citizens want choice when it comes to long-term care of the graying population.

Marc Gold, director of the Promoting Independence Initiative in the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, said the cost of nursing home care is about twice the cost of similar services in community-based care.

“Community care is not only about human choice, not only about individual choice, not only about quality of life, or quality of care,” he said. “Not only is it the preferred model. It’s about saving money.”