A hearing is set for today in Sacramento for a bill which would make Medi-Cal accessible to more people. Low-income older adults and people with disabilities who make just over the Medi-Cal limit have to pay 60% of their monthly income as a share of cost, minus a set amount for living expenses. The so-called "maintenance level" is set at just $600 a month. .
The strain of unpaid family care-giving is pressing down hard on many Nebraska residents, according to new AARP research. Nearly half of people surveyed have experienced increased emotional distress, and more than a quarter said they had to spend more out of pocket. Todd Stubbendieck, state director of AARP Nebraska, said caretakers help people stay in their homes as they age - where most prefer to be - and out of nursing homes that frequently rely on state funds. .
A bill that would require the state’s nursing homes to use 90% of their Medicaid funding on direct care for residents won’t advance out of the legislature’s Aging Committee this session, but proponents vowed to revive the measure next year.
The controversial proposal drew support from advocates who want greater transparency from the industry and a guarantee that most of the funding is being spent on resident care. Nursing home executives testified against the bill, saying the mandate would put difficult constraints on spending.
Legislation in Connecticut s Joint Committee on Aging would require nursing homes to spend at least 90% of Medicaid funding they receive on direct patient care. Medicaid funding allocated through the state pays for about 74% of nursing-home care in Connecticut. The bill asks nursing-home managers to provide summaries of how they are using Medicaid dollars to support patients, including feeding, bathing and administering medication. .