Medicaid Spending for Home and Community-Based Care Soars, Report Finds - Medicaid spending for home- and community-based services (HCBS) skyrocketed by 81.5% between fiscal years 2001 and 2007, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Center for Assisted Living. Meanwhile, spending on nursing homes grew by a modest 9.8% during that time.

Nursing home spending expanded to $46.9 billion in 2007 from $42.7 billion in 2001, while HCBS spending rose to $16.7 billion from $9.2 billion during that period, the study said. The number of people receiving Medicaid coverage for services in licensed assisted living settings increased by 43.7% between 2002 and 2009, the study found. HCBS Medicaid waivers cover services in residential settings in 37 states, while 13 states provide coverage directly through state Medicaid plans. That marks a departure from the past when Medicaid paid only for nursing home care. Medicaid now pays for assisted living care for some 131,000 elderly adults nationwide.

Non-institutional options for long-term care typically cost less to states, are preferred by consumers, and have "created a shift in the supply and utilization of nursing homes over the past several years," according to the report. Between 2001 and 2008, the national supply of nursing homes declined by 1.6%.

The report, "State Medicaid Reimbursement Policies and Practices in Assisted Living," can be found online at www.ncal.org. 

Supplemental Information to Application for Assistance Regarding Identification of Family Member, Friend or Other Person or Organization Supportive of a Tenant for Occupancy in HUD Assisted Housing - This Notice provides guidance on implementation of the requirements of Section 644 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (Section 644).  Section 644 requires that owners and management agents (O/As) must provide applicants as part of their application for housing, the option to include information on an individual or organization that the O/A may contact to assist in providing any delivery of services or special care to applicants who become tenants and to assist with resolving any tenancy issues arising during tenancy. 
 
In order to ensure that O/As comply with this requirement, HUD has provided a standard form for use in gathering the information from applicants.  Completion of the form is optional on the part of the applicant.  O/As must begin including form HUD-92006 as part of their application package by no later than 90 days from the date the Notice was issued, September 15, 2009.   
 
What this means to the O/A - This requires the O/A to provide this form as a part of the application package by December 14, 2009. It is not a requirement that the Applicant complete the form, only that the O/A provides it to the Applicant.
 
Section 644 requires that O/As keep the contact information confidential and can only release the information for the stated statutory purpose:  To assist the O/A in providing services or special care for such tenants, and in resolving issues that may arise during the tenancy of such tenants.
 
Click here for Notice H 2009-13. Click here for Form HUD-92006.  
 

 

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Copyright 2009 -- Publication of the Florida Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (FAHSA).

• FAHSA Chair: Terri Cunliffe
• FAHSA President/CEO: Janegale Boyd
• Managing Editor: Gail Matillo, MPA

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