Montana has become the latest state to attempt to take extra steps to protect their senior population. Recognizing that this population is one of the most vulnerable there is, Montana legislatures have been grappling with the question of whether or not assisted living facilities can be used to help those receiving Medicare and Medicaid who would otherwise be placed in a nursing home. Known as House Bill 17, this proposed law would allow Medicaid dollars to pay for assisted living if the individual in need would benefit from it.
Nursing homes in Montana have been under a lot of strain because of the huge cost associated with them. Assisted living facilities provide many of the same services that nursing homes do, but often at less than half of the cost. This is not covered by Medicare or Medicaid under minimum standards, but many states have been looking at alternative to the nursing home. Montana is the latest to take steps to try and protect their senior population and help reduce costs at the same time.
Montana is not alone in the struggle that it is facing when it comes to senior care, especially on the nursing home front. Across the nation, it is being recognized that assisted living and in-home care is much cheaper than a stay in a nursing home, and in many instances, either of these types of cares can more than meet the needs of the people in need. This is important to keep in mind considering that at last official count, the state of Montana had more than 500 people on a waiting list to receive Medicaid nursing home care. The large cost of this service plus the limited amount of space that facilities have has made it so there is already an issue in getting people the care that they need. Hopefully this proposed rule will help all seniors that need elder care to get the assistance and comfort that they need.
HB 17 is not a cure for the financial strain that the growing demand for senior care is creating in Montana. It will ease some of the strain, but likely only on a temporary basis. The senior population is growing rapidly, and there is a large need for states to find solutions to the issue. Montana is headed in the right direction, hopefully, but there is a lot more work that needs to be done. California still has a long way to go before each and every senior citizen has all of the safeguards and care demands that they will encounter satisfied. Looking at what other states are doing can be a good way to get ideas and to see what is working and what is not.
Having an elderly loved one in need is frustrating, especially if they cannot easily get the assistance that they need to stay happy, healthy, and safe. Looking to see what all of the options out there are for Californians and beyond can be a good way to help our own elderly loved ones.
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