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A New Year, a new era
“Currently the long-term care system in Massachusetts favors institutional care over care in the community and at home. This neither respects the wishes of older adults, nor follows the law of requiring care in the least restrictive environment, nor spends public dollars prudently. Through Medicaid and Medicare waivers and other strategies, my administration will expand opportunities for older adults and the disabled to stay in and connected to their communities as their care needs increase…
"A large portion of older and disabled adults see community care as the best choice. Massachusetts has made efforts and significant progress toward the rebalancing of the long term care system through support of community-based services, specifically through the funding of personal care attendant services and other creative uses of Medicaid funding. I will continue this progress. However, there is far more that needs to be done to fundamentally rebalance the system. Promoting integrated care systems that address both health care and social support, instituting a better system of “gate keeping” – making sure that only those that truly need nursing home care enter nursing homes, regardless of their method of paying – and taking advantage of federal incentives and waivers that promote the least restrictive setting for care and give elders a choice would provide options toward rebalancing the system. "
Deval Patrick, Mass Home Care candidate's survey, June 16, 2006