Long-Term Care Reform: Program Eligibility, States' Service Capacity, and
Federal Role in Reform Need More Consideration (Testimony, 04/14/94,
GAO/T-HEHS-94-144).

Passage of any long-term care reform legislation is merely the first
step in a long journey toward meeting the nation's long-term care needs.
Knowledge about determining long-term care needs and services, derived
largely from the experience of innovative states, suggests that state
flexibility is the best way to meet the diverse needs of individuals and
communities.  This flexibility requires a new, different federal role,
largely one of partnership with the states in the design and management
of programs.  The administration's proposal would give states $38
billion in federal funding each year for a new federal-state program of
home and community-based services, to be phased in from 1996 to 2003.
States will be given wide latitude to design and run programs to serve
persons of all income ranges.  The proposal would also liberalize
Medicaid nursing home eligibility, provide tax credits to defray the
costs of personal assistance for working persons with disabilities, and
encourage and regulate private long-term care insurance.  If the
administration's proposal is to be the blueprint for long-term care
reform, the new federal role should be spelled out more clearly.  More
thought should also be given to developing state guidance on determining
eligibility and to helping states with less capacity to use program
funds wisely.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-HEHS-94-144
     TITLE:  Long-Term Care Reform: Program Eligibility, States' Service 
             Capacity, and Federal Role in Reform Need More
             Consideration
      DATE:  04/14/94
   SUBJECT:  Health care services
             Health care cost control
             Demographic data
             Home health care services
             Eligibility determinations
             Handicapped persons
             Disabilities or handicaps
             State-administered programs
             Federal/state relations
             Long-term care
IDENTIFIER:  Medicaid Program
             National Health Care Reform Initiative
             Clinton Health Care Plan
             Health Security Act
             
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