I prefer my own bed, thanks.

AARPs research report

A Balancing Act - Funding for Long-Term Care Programs

A summary of the AARP Report and the Utah data.

Eighty-seven percent of people 50 and older with disabilities want to be cared for in their own homes. Yet the Medicaid program continues to allocate the bulk of its resources for institutional services.

Medicaid dollars on average can support nearly three people in home and community-based services for every person in a nursing home.

"The ability of some states to accomplish substantial reforms for older people and adults with physical disabilities—as well as successes in the mental retardation/developmental disabilities movement, which have led to increased home and community-based services options for many—demonstrates that obstacles to change can be overcome."

Compared to the U.S. average, Utah allocates 96% of its Medicaid long-term care spending for older people and adults with physical disabilities to nursing homes.

Utah has one of the nation’s most unbalanced systems and Medicaid trends indicate the little progress has occurred in the state in recent years. The number of participants receiving home and community based services decreased while the number of participants in nursing homes remained relatively constant between 1999 and 2004. From FY 2001 to FY 2006, the increase in Medicaid spending on nursing homes was $52 million, 26 times the increase in spending on HCBS. The increase alone was more than eight times the total HCBS spending for older people and adults with disabilities.





The discrepancy in millions expended (6 - 5 = +2 ?) must be some type of rounding.