COVID-19 Issues and Medicaid Policy Options for People Who Need Long-Term Services and Supports

(By Marybeth Musumeci and Priya Chidamabaram for Kaiser Family Foundation)

While the COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis, it may have greater implications for people who utilize long-term supports and services (LTSS), including seniors and people with disabilities & chronic illnesses. As the primary payer for LTSS for millions of low-income Americans, Medicaid is poised to play an important role in the nation’s COVID-19 response for vulnerable populations. There is limited coverage for LTSS under Medicare and few affordable options in the private insurance market. State Medicaid programs must cover LTSS in nursing homes, while most home and community-based services (HCBS) are optional and covered through waivers that may target specific populations. This issue brief presents state-level data and explores key issues and potential state and federal policy responses for Medicaid LTSS users in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Continue reading report here…

Notice: The link provided above connects readers to the full content of the posted article. The URL (internet address) for this link is valid on the posted date; medicarereport.org cannot guarantee the duration of the link’s validity. Also, the opinions expressed in these postings are the viewpoints of the original source and are not explicitly endorsed by AMAC, Inc.; the AMAC Foundation, Inc.; or medicarereport.org.