Shifting Dollars to Home-based Care

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Utah lags behind 40 states and the District of Columbia in using Medicaid funds to help older adults and those with physical disabilities continue to live independently. Only 23 percent of Medicaid dollars earmarked for long-term care for this population in Utah is allocated to home- and community-based services such as home-delivered meals, transportation to doctors’ appointments and respite for family caregivers. The other 77 percent pays for nursing homes.

“We know the vast majority of Utahns want to stay in their own homes as they age,” said Alan Ormsby, AARP state director. “Our state can and should do a better job of making sure our older population has this option, which is much less costly than institutional care.”

To learn more about the need to rebalance Medicaid funding in Utah, go to aarp.org/balance.