Home and Community-Based Services Improve Outcomes While Reducing Costs
Article Publication Date
Summary
The Community Living Policy Center, an affiliate of the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University, has published a new brief highlighting research on the value of Medicaid HCBS. The brief summarizes major findings from decades of research which demonstrates that access to high-quality HCBS not only improves outcomes but can also reduce overall health care costs.
Key takeaways include:
• Medicaid HCBS on average cost less than nursing homes and institutional settings,
• Transitioning individuals from nursing homes and institutional settings back to the community improves outcomes and achieves cost savings
• Shifting systems away from reliance on nursing homes and institutional settings and improving access to HCBS reduces costs over time
• Unmet needs for HCBS contribute to worse community living and health outcomes, driving higher overall healthcare costs
• High-quality person-centered planning and care coordination more efficiently meet needs and desires of HCBS beneficiaries, producing better health and community living outcomes
Key takeaways include:
• Medicaid HCBS on average cost less than nursing homes and institutional settings,
• Transitioning individuals from nursing homes and institutional settings back to the community improves outcomes and achieves cost savings
• Shifting systems away from reliance on nursing homes and institutional settings and improving access to HCBS reduces costs over time
• Unmet needs for HCBS contribute to worse community living and health outcomes, driving higher overall healthcare costs
• High-quality person-centered planning and care coordination more efficiently meet needs and desires of HCBS beneficiaries, producing better health and community living outcomes