Passage of the Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled (CHOICE) program in 1987 signaled Indiana’s recognition of the need to grow home and community-based services as an alternative to providing care in nursing homes. Since then, Indiana’s state-funded CHOICE program has helped tens of thousands of Hoosiers remain more independent at home at a fraction of the cost of institutional care. The CHOICE program has been instrumental in addressing institutional care options, but Hoosiers need to be aware of the costs associated with long-term health care as well. Preparing for retirement is critical to securing a sustainable lifestyle, but, unfortunately, too many people fail to adequately plan for their long-term care needs. Contrary to popular belief, Medicare, the federal government’s health insurance plan for the elderly and disabled, does not pay for most long-term care costs. Moreover, less than 10 percent of all Americans have long-term care insurance coverage, leaving many individuals to initially rely on their own resources. In fact, Medicaid pays for the bulk of long-term care expenditures in Indiana – roughly 62 percent of all such costs. We can do more to guarantee our long-term care system meets the needs of older adults and people with disabilities. According to AARP, nine out of 10 Hoosiers age 50 and over want to stay in their current residence for as long as possible. This is particularly important as baby boomers reach retirement age. I recently participated in a forum at the Southwest Indiana Regional Council on Aging (SWIRCA) to discuss my efforts to improve Indiana’s long-term care system. On a very positive note, SWIRCA and the 15 other Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) in Indiana do a tremendous job helping individuals and their families navigate our long-term care system. Last session, I authored House Enrolled Act 1211, which makes it easier for individuals and families to find about the programs and services offered by SWIRCA and other AAAs. This new law now requires hospitals to include contact information for the local AAA, along with a list of home and community-based alternatives, before discharging a patient to a nursing home. Nursing homes are required to provide similar information to the resident at the time of admission. Making sure people know about their local AAA, and the free services it provides, can mean the difference between remaining at home, with a full range of care and support services, including help for unpaid family caregivers, and living in a nursing home. The U.S. Census Bureau projects the number of Americans age 65 and older will increase 36 percent from 2010 to 2020, compared to a 9 percent increase for the population as a whole. Expanding on that projection, the number of Hoosiers over the age of 65 will grow to nearly one-fifth of the total population by 2030. I will continue to fight for our elderly and disabled Hoosiers to live independently as more and more will need our help. As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact me by phone at 317-232-9824 or by email at h78@in.gov. -30- State Rep. Suzanne Crouch (R-Evansville) Crouch Capitol Connection, Considering Hoosier’s long-term care needs, 9-7-12.doc |
