Nursing Homes Three Times Costlier Than In-Home Long-Term Care

MERIDEN — A recent AARP report ranked Connecticut 11th among states for long-term care (LTC) and eighth in overall affordability and accessibility.  While nursing home care in the state is prohibitively expensive (Connecticut ranks 48th in affordability), home care is fairly reasonable by comparison, resulting in a rank of 12th.

The Connecticut Institute for the 21st Century recently published a statewide report that cites rebalancing as a key element to address the state’s long-term care system. In Connecticut, each LTC waiver is managed separately, creating a challenging environment for persons seeking appropriate home and community-based care.

Rebalancing requires improved access to home- and community-based care at a level on par with institutional/nursing home care, giving people a choice when home- and community-based care is appropriate.

The institute report also states that provisions for greater choice and access for long-term care will create a more favorable ratio of people receiving home- and community-based care versus institutional/nursing home care. Currently, the state’s system balance is 53 percent home- and community-based care and 47 percent institutional care.

Connecticut’s stated goal of a more-balanced system is 75 percent home- and community-based care and 25 percent institutional care, which would avoid more than $900 million in annual LTC costs in 2025, and produce two other major benefits:

According to the survey, nearly eight out of ten state residents would prefer to continue living in their homes, with home health or homemaker services being provided.

On average, Connecticut Medicaid dollars can support more than two older people and adults with physical disabilities in a home- and community-based setting for every one person in an institutional setting.

To that end, Connecticut has an initiative specifically designed to promote personal independence and achieve fiscal efficiencies called Money Follows the Person. The initiative was recently funded by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the State of Connecticut as part of a national effort to rebalance LTC systems, according to the needs of all persons with disabilities.

Successful early program results show an average monthly cost decrease from $2,651 for institutional care to $963 for home- and community-based care.

For more information on Connecticut’s Institute for the 21st Century and its Assessment for Long-Term Care report, visit www.CTRegionalInstitute.org.