AARP Testimony on Medicaid, Long Term Care, and Social Services Bills

On March 12th, AARP provided testimony to the Human Services Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly, showing strong support for bills on the docket concerning Medicaid services, long term care, and social service.

AARP offered testimony in support of S.B. 1084, An Act Concerning Delays in Medicaid Application Processing, S.B. 1086, An Act Concerning Long Term Care, and H.B. 6610, An Act Concerning Federal Medicaid Waivers.  These proposals complement the Governor’s call for “a more efficient and effective long-term services and supports (LTSS) system aligned with the principles of choice, autonomy and dignity”. AARP also supported S.B. 1083, An Act Concerning the Department of Social Services.

S.B. 1084, AN ACT CONCERNING DELAYS IN MEDICAID APPLICATION PROCESSING 

AARP strongly supports efforts to ensure prompt access to safety-net health and long-term care programs through technology upgrades and a streamlined determination process as required under S.B. 1084, An Act Concerning Delays in Medicaid Application Processing.  Specifically, S.B. 1084 requires DSS to comply with Medicaid timelines for processing Medicaid applications and provides “presumptive eligibility” for applicants receiving or requesting home and community-based services (HCBS) after 90 days.  Determining financial eligibility for Medicaid applicants for community based services in 2011 took an average of 134 days—far exceeding the Standard of Promptness set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Without timely decisions these applicants’ health and well-being could be at risk and the long delay may determine whether they remain in a community setting or enter a nursing facility.

States that lead the way in consumer choice share common characteristics, including timely eligibility determinations for home care services. When decisions must be made quickly at a time of crisis, state Medicaid programs must be able to arrange for HCBS in a timely manner.  Failure to determine timely eligibility for Medicaid HCBS often results in unnecessary nursing home placement and the financial consequences for the state are steep.  On average, the cost of serving a Medicaid client in the community is approximately one third the average cost of serving that individual in an institution.

S.B. 1084 recognizes the need to improve access to Medicaid services through timely eligibility determinations and improved screening processes. While AARP prefers the more expansive approach for presumptive eligibility outlined in H.B. 5919, we support S.B. 1084 as a significant improvement on the current system. Expedited eligibility determinations will improve access to services in the setting the consumer chooses. Additionally, the proposal would stretch limited public resources by serving individuals in cost-effective community based settings, when institutional care is neither desired nor needed.