We live in a world of innovation. New technology is changing how we connect with friends, learn, work, play—and even obtain health care. Telehealth, a set of tools both old and new, allows clinicians and home-based patients to communicate with each other via video-conference, email, or just an old-fashioned telephone call. Newer tools enable clinicians to receive clients’ data (e.g., vital signs) and assess their status through remote monitoring devices.
En español | When people talk about family caregivers, Millennials are not always part of the conversation. Yet as the report Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 found, close to 1 in 4 family caregivers (24%) are Millennials.
Getting our research off the page and into policy and practice is a critical component of the Public Policy Institute’s work. We know that in order to help older adults, family caregivers of all ages and the professionals who support them, we need to back up our facts and research findings with concrete action steps.
The latest attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act poses a major threat to the Medicaid program. The bill under consideration in the Senate, known as Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson, would fundamentally change how Medicaid is financed, shifting costs to states and to Medicaid enrollees.
CMS Report Confirms Medicaid Cuts Would Jeopardize Critical Services and Long-Term Program Stability
The proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA) would make significant changes to the Medicaid program, which serves as a critical safety net for millions of people who deplete their life savings and turn to Medicaid for assistance as their ability to care for themselves declines. The bill would repeal the Medicaid expansion and implement a capped financing model for states. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the AHCA would cut $834 billion from the Medicaid program through fiscal year (FY) 2026. CBO projects that 23 million people would lose coverage as a result of the AHCA, most of them — 14 million — because of the changes to Medicaid.
An important AARP study shows that an overwhelming majority of people would like to remain in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Personal care services, such as assistance with bathing, eating and dressing, are critically important to helping older adults and people with disabilities of all ages live independently and avoid costly nursing facility placements.
When Abbie was first admitted to a nursing facility in Henderson, Nev., in December 2012, she was told she would probably be there for the rest of her life. For Abbie, who was 76 at the time, that was not an option.