Days of Decent, Accessible Govenment-Paid LTC Waning

An article in the September 10, 2011 edition of the Oakland Tribune  by Sandra J. Cohen and Roger Cormier reports that the state of California plans to transition Medi-Cal enrolled participants in adult day health care (ADHC) to a new model before December 1, 2011, which is the date the state has decided to cancel current ADHC Medi-Cal funding.

Most of the state’s 37,000 ADHC enrollees participate in Medi-Cal.

ADHC is a long standing, comprehensive, efficient program that provides medical and social support services and meals in congregate settings for frail elders with multiple chronic conditions, developmental disabilities, or severe, persistent mental illness.

The anticipated changes have already resulted in fallout. Several ADHC programs have already closed because participants and volunteers backed out.

Professionals in the field anticipate that the changes will result in increased nursing home placements and expenses.

This disruptive shift is no doubt due to California’s severe budget shortfalls. The article states that people who privately pay for care or use long-term care insurance (LTCi) to pay for ADHC will not be affected by the cutbacks.

Hopefully, stories like this will encourage more people to plan for long-term care while they are able to do so. The days of decent government-paid long-term care appear to be drawing to an unpleasant end.