The proposed cuts to Medicaid services under the GOP’s American Health Care Act recently passed by the House could drastically change the life of older US citizens for the worse. Medicaid provides a lifeline for older adults who require support for aging at home rather than in a care facility or hospital. Medicaid currently provides at minimum 2m older adults with long-term care insurance, with 53% of all funding provided in the next decade going toward home-based and community services designed to help patients stay at home. Care at home generally costs significantly less than institutional care, but Medicaid’s assistance for home-based care is generally funded through grants provided by the Affordable Care Act. With the proposed American Health Care Act, $839bn could be cut over 2014, putting home assistance in jeopardy. The services at risk of being cut include in-home therapy, telehealth consultations, transportation, emergency call systems and support for family caregivers, as well as equipment such as wheelchairs and home adaptations for those who are mobility-challenged. Family caregivers will be particularly hard-hit, as the change could exacerbate out-of-pocket expenses which already reach up to around $10,000 per year.
The proposed cuts to Medicaid services under the GOP’s American Health Care Act recently passed by the House could drastically change the life of older US citizens for the worse. Medicaid provides a lifeline for older adults who require support for aging at home rather than in a care facility or hospital. Medicaid currently provides at minimum 2m older adults with long-term care insurance, with 53% of all funding provided in 2014 going toward home-based and community services designed to help patients stay at home. Care at home generally costs significantly less than institutional care, but Medicaid’s assistance for home-based care is generally funded through grants provided by the Affordable Care Act. With the proposed American Health Care Act, $839bn could be cut over the next decade, putting home assistance in jeopardy. The services at risk of being cut include in-home therapy, telehealth consultations, transportation, emergency call systems and support for family caregivers, as well as equipment such as wheelchairs and home adaptations for those who are mobility-challenged. Family caregivers will be particularly hard-hit, as the change could exacerbate out-of-pocket expenses which already reach up to around $10,000 per year.