MassHealth - Community First
[ index ]
FY09 House 2 Budget Recommendation:
Issues in Brief
Deval L. Patrick, Governor
Timothy P. Murray, Lt. Governor
Overview
The Patrick-Murray Administration, along with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, is committed to providing care to individuals with disabilities in appropriate settings, and to expanding the long term care options available to elders and individuals with disabilities. Recognizing the importance of enabling individuals with disabilities and elders to live independently and, where appropriate, within the community, Governor Patrick's FY09 H.2 budget includes $46 million in a new account at MassHealth to implement the first year of the Community First initiative. This effort, linked to the waiver submitted to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in December, 2006, seeks to promote flexible service options in the community and treats institutionalization as a last resort. Although no savings for this effort are recognized in FY09, it is anticipated that caring for individuals in the most appropriate setting will allow for cost savings once fully implemented.
Target Populations
Transition Group | Individuals on MassHealth who are in nursing facilities. |
At-Risk Group | Individuals who require nursing facility level of care, but are currently living in the community. |
Prevention Group | Individuals in the community who will likely require nursing facility care within one year |
New Investments
This investment will allow the Commonwealth to offer proper community supports to elderly MassHealth members and individuals under 65 years old with disabilities. The proposed strategies will enable individuals to return to and/or stabilize in community settings. These strategies, taken together, increase service coverage and access, and improve quality and administrative practice.
- Increases access to MassHealth Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) to enable elders and individuals with disabilities to leave or avoid institutional settings.
- Expands access to case management to MassHealth members with disabilities not currently accessing services.
- Expands access to family supports to ensure the informal caregivers can continue to provide supports and remain gainfully employed themselves.
- Increases access to important community-based long term care information and counseling, increasing awareness of and ability to choose community over instructional options.
Prepared by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance • Rooms 373 & 272 • State House
For more information contact:
Katie.Luddy@massmail.state.ma.us
www.mass.gov/budget/governor
top of page