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December 08, 2005
Poor in New York, part 3: Insufficient insurance
Though the state plan has largely focused on cutting benefits as a means to reduce expenditures, a large factor in Medicaid costs is the way that coverage is delivered. The vast majority of Medicaid care is provided institutionally, particularly for the elderly and disabled. Though in some cases necessary, this can also be a costly alternative to in-home care. According to the United Hospital Fund, long-term care accounts for nearly 40 percent of Medicaid costs for the disabled and 75 percent of costs for the elderly. The average per capita cost for each of these groups is 12 times greater than the average cost for children, and seven times that of non-elderly adults.
Posted by Michelle at December 8, 2005 05:58 PM