MHA/516 Week 2 Assignment

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Congressional Budget Office: Operations for Reducing the Deficit

Maytee Santiago

MHA516: Operating in Structure Health Sector Policy and Governance

Dr. Midge Elkins

September 07, 2020

Operations for Reducing the Deficit

Long-term care facilities provide rehabilitative, restorative and/or ongoing skilled nursing care to residents in need of assistance. Long-term care facilities include nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, inpatient behavioral health facilities and long-term chronic care hospitals (Shiel W., 2020). Long-term care facilities receive Federal financial assistance by participating in programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Section 504 prohibits discrimination based on disability, including the unnecessary segregation of persons with disabilities. This concept interpreted the same requirements as Americans with Disabilities Act. A critical responsibility of long-term care facilities is to know their local contact agency and make referrals to the agency. The referrals help individuals to successfully transition into the community (hhs.gov, 2020).

Types of Long-Term Care

There are different types of LTC according to Elder Needs Law PLLC types such as activities of day living, assisted living facility, skilled nursing facility, home health, post-acute care, physical therapy, occupational therapy etc. however, LTC begins after an individual is in short-term medical care. Medicare does not pay for most long-term care services (Long-Term Care.gov., 2020). Medicare helps pay for a short stay in a skilled nursing facility if patient has inpatient stay of at least three days, admitted to a Medicare-certified nursing facility within 30days of admission and skilled care.

Health Option

In reviewing Health Option 9-Raise the Age of Eligibility for Medicare to 67 which states that the age of eligibility for Medicare would raise by two months each year starting in 2020 until it reaches 67 for people born in 1966. It would remain at 67 until thereafter. The reason for this option is because the average life expectancy for individuals covered under Medicare has increased significantly throughout the years to 18.1 years for men and 20.6 years for female live past 65yrs of age (Congressional Budget office, 2016). Only 5% of older adults aged 65+ will need Long-Term care of this 50% are 85 years, 35% are between ages 75 and 84, and 15% are between 65 and 74 years of age (Elder Needs Law PLLC, 2020).

Conclusion

The Health Option 9-Raise the Age of Eligibility for Medicare would not adversely affect the Long-Term Care being that 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day. Out of that only 5% of the older adults require long-term care being that Medicare only pays a limited portion of Long-Term care.

References

Congressional Budget Office. (2016). Options for Reducing the Deficit 2017 to 2026, from https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/114th-congress-2015-2016/reports/52142-budgetoptions2.pdf

Dr. Midge Elkins Social Service. (2020). Congressional Budget Office: Operations for Reducing the Deficit, from

Elder Needs Law PLLC. (2020). Long Term Care Fundamentals: Long Term Care 101, from https://www.elderneedslaw.com/long-term-care-fundamentals-long-term-care-101

Health and Human Services. (2016) Guidance and Resources of Long-term care facilities, from https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/special-topics/community-living-and-olmstead/mds-guidance-bulletin/index.html

Long-Term Care.gov. (2020). Medicare, from https://longtermcare.acl.gov/medicare-medicaid-more/medicare.html

William C. Shiel Jr. (2020). Medical Definition of Long-Term Care Facility, from https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=24859