NSCLC Publishes Issue Brief on Medicaid Payment for Assisted Living

State Medicaid programs increasingly are able to pay for assisted living services, but most consumers and advocates know little about how these programs work.  In this case, what you don’t know can hurt you, as policies differ widely from state to state, and many state Medicaid programs follow rules that disadvantage assisted living residents and their families.

The National Senior Citizens Law Center has released an issue brief that examines many of the most important issues in Medicaid payment for assisted living, and makes recommendations for policy changes at the federal and state levels.  Among other things, the issue brief recommends that Medicaid-certified facilities be required to accept Medicaid from Medicaid-eligible residents, and not be allowed to demand or solicit “supplemental payments” from residents’ family members or friends.  The federal government at a minimum should require that Medicaid-certified facilities not discriminate against Medicaid-eligible residents.

The brief is available at NSCLC’s website at: http://www.nsclc.org/areas/long-term-care/Assisted%20Living/medicaid-payment-for-assisted-living-current-state-practices-and-recommendations-for-improvement/at_download/attachment.