Across the US, Medicaid offers long-term care to over 2m low-income senior citizens, supported by federal government and individual state funding. The program pays for over half the long-term care costs in the US, and is the only public program that offers this type of care over the longer-term. The GOP bill currently being considered by the House would change federal Medicaid funding from matching state funds to a fixed fund given per state. The addition of the block grant, or lump sum, payment to the bill in a bid to give additional money to the care of the elderly and disabled people who require Medicaid support. The move will put a limit on the ability of states to provide care, with capped federal Medicaid spending likely to hurt older Americans significantly. Older adults’ care currently represents over 22 percent of all Medicaid spending. Non-guaranteed benefits, such as at-home nursing and personal care, are likely to be cut by states in a bid to save funds. The Congressional Budget Office’s recent report has estimated that the proposed bill, if passed, will render 14m more citizens uninsured next year when compared to current law, and 24m more by 2026.
Across the US, Medicaid offers long-term care to over 2m low-income senior citizens, supported by federal government and individual state funding. The program pays for over half the long-term care costs in the US, and is the only public program that offers this type of care over the longer-term. The GOP bill currently being considered by the House would change federal Medicaid funding from matching state funds to a fixed fund given per state. The addition of the block grant, or lump sum, payment to the bill in a bid to give additional money to the care of the elderly and disabled people who require Medicaid support. The move will put a limit on the ability of states to provide care, with capped federal Medicaid spending likely to hurt older Americans significantly. Older adults’ care currently represents 22% of all Medicaid spending. Non-guaranteed benefits, such as at-home nursing and personal care, are likely to be cut by states in a bid to save funds. The Congressional Budget Office’s recent report has estimated that the proposed bill, if passed, will render 14m more citizens uninsured next year when compared to current law, and 24m more by 2026.