"Equal Choice" saves dollars, improves seniors’ lives
By Denis Guyer
Are you satisfied with the home and community-based services that are currently available for seniors and what should be done so seniors can have a choice as to where they will receive the services they need?
Imagine nursing homes stretched to their limit with staff unable to adequately care for their patients. Imagine a system that is unable to cope with the sheer numbers of residents needing help. And without enough beds to care for those who need moderate care. Imagine a system that is on the brink of disaster. This could be the future of the Massachusetts Residential Care System if today's legislature fails to act. Over the next 20 years, as the baby-boom generation retires and enters their so-called "golden years," they will put an unprecedented strain on our extended care facilities. The wave is coming, and it is up to the policy makers of today to plan for it effectively and in a way that is most respectful of how our seniors choose to live.
If given a choice between staying at home or entering an extended care facility, most seniors I have spoken with would choose to live in their own home and receive care from a visiting nurse or other type of home care provider. Study after study has shown that keeping seniors in their homes actually saves the state money, and seniors who stay in their own homes have a higher quality of life. But under Chapter 118, Section E of the Massachusetts General Laws, seniors can only qualify for MassHealth benefits if they are "seeking admission to" or "are residents of long-term care facilities.” This takes away the choice of many seniors who require some care and would like to stay within their homes and instead drives these seniors into extended care facilities.
To make this right, the Massachusetts Legislature is considering bill S.2273, known as the "Equal Choice Bill." The Equal Choice bill would make several changes to our laws including a commitment within the law that care shall be provided in the “care setting that is the least restrictive and most appropriate to meet” the patients needs, and the level of care benefit will be considered the same by the state whether a person is in their own home or a nursing home. The bill also raises the income eligibility so that more seniors can qualify for MassHealth Long Term Care. It also changes very significantly the way pre-admission counseling is directed, requiring a greater emphasis on home care with services provided within the community. The Equal Choice Bill does many good things for seniors. I support the bill, and so do the Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging, the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, the Massachusetts Association of Older Americans and many others. The bill was unanimously passed in the Senate and is now being reviewed by the House Ways and Means Committee. I will continue to advocate for a favorable determination on the bill, and I plan to vote for it when a vote is put to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Hopefully, the Massachusetts Legislature will pass this and many other pieces of legislation that work to help Massachusetts seniors live happy, independent lives.
Denis Guyer is the State Representative from the 2nd district.
