“Spending on Medicaid HCBS totals nearly $116B in FY 2020, report finds”

 

“Spending on Medicaid HCBS totals nearly $116B in FY 2020, report finds,” by Liza Berger, McKnight’s Home Care

Quote:

“Spending on Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) totaled $115.8 billion in fiscal year 2020, according to a new report released Friday from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Waivers make up over two-thirds of total HCBS spending, while spending under a state plan authority is under one-third of total HCBS spending, the report said. States continue to rebalance long-term services and supports spending toward home- and community-based LTSS, the report indicated. In fiscal year 2019, HCB LTSS made up 59% of total spending — the highest to date — while institutional LTSS comprised 41% of total spending. … Most states report HCBS waiver waiting lists, totaling over 665,000 people nationally, another Kaiser Family Foundation report released Friday said. Seniors and adults with physical disabilities account for slightly more than one-quarter of total waiting lists. Nationally, individuals waited an average of 44 months to receive waiver services in FY 2020, according to the report.”

 

LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform:

Remember when all the “experts” told us home and community-based services would save a lot of money? Well Medicaid HCBS is almost 60 percent now and total costs of home care and institutional care are rising faster than ever. Ignore LTC and rely on Medicaid if you ever need it. Great plan if you can get to the front of the line, 665,000 ahead of you.