16 Jun National Senior Citizens Law Center Publishes Free Guide On Getting Long-Term Services and Support at Home
In an effort to allow more seniors and persons with disabilities to live independently at home as opposed to a nursing home or other institutional setting, the National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) has recently published a free advocate’s guide. The Medicaid laws for payment of care services have been institutionally biased as it is generally easier for qualification to get care cost approval and services paid by the government if one goes into a nursing home. However, new Medicaid rules (as part of the Affordable Care Act) for the first time set standards so that home and community based services are provided (as opposed to a nursing home) at one’s home or apartment. It should be noted that Medicaid is a joint program between the federal and state government – so rules from state to state often vary.
The intent of the new rules is to ensure that home and community based services (such as assistance with dressing, bathing, walking, feeding, transferring and other activities of daily living) can be done at home or in an apartment as opposed to a nursing home. NSCLC’s guide goes into the standards for all home and community-based services, standards specific to residential care facilities, qualification as a home and community based service setting, state transition process and stakeholder involvement and service planning options. The 20 page guide explains the new rules and the processes for implementing them. To download the guide, click www.nsclc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04Restoring-the-Balance_2014-HCBS-Policy-Brief.pdf.
For help with Long Term Services, call our Dallas office 214-720-0102.