Close to One-Third of Medicaid Spending Pays For Long-term Care Services.

A chart book titled Long Term Care –- An Essential Element of Healthcare Reform (pdf), has been released by the SCAN Foundation. The publication features more than a dozen charts and graphs that together provide a vivid picture of just how closely connected the long-term care needs of older Americans and people with disabilities are to the effectiveness of our national health care system.

Because of this link, argues the report, any reforms to the overall health care system must address the particular challenges of long-term care.

The report lists these findings:

• The majority of Medicaid spending is on services for long-term care users. Health reform efforts can target the healthcare needs of this population in order to strengthen Medicaid for the future.
• Some Medicare post-acute care services may fill-in for long-term care needs. Reform efforts can consider the long-term care needs of the Medicare population in order to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of these services.
• Medicare and Medicaid spending for dual eligibles is largely uncoordinated and unmanaged. Innovative reform efforts can coordinate and manage these services to improve quality and reduce costs.
• A significant amount of long-term care is privately financed and provided by informal caregivers. Reform efforts can leverage, rather than replace, these private contributions.

The SCAN Foundation is an independent nonprofit foundation dedicated to advancing the development of a sustainable continuum of quality care for seniors that integrates medical treatment and human services in the settings most appropriate to their needs and with the greatest likelihood of a healthy, independent life.