Community-based care funding increase
By State Rep. Christopher N. Speranzo
In the past few years, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has seen real progress in the trend towards home and community-based care as the preferred means of long term care, rather than institutional care in a nursing home.
One example of that progress is the passage last year of the Equal Choice Law. This law states that a senior who is eligible for MassHealth (Medicaid) benefits, “shall be given the choice of care setting that is the least restrictive and most appropriate to meet his or her needs.” This change in law is a paradigm shift towards the preference of in-home care where it is most appropriate and away from long-term nursing home care.
Home care makes sense for a variety of reasons. Numerous seniors have told me they prefer receiving their care in their own home and in their own community-based setting. The state should encourage that preference. In addition to being preferable to the seniors of our community, it makes fiscal sense for the state. Home care is estimated to save the Commonwealth $134 million over the first five years of the program. For those seniors who may not meet the eligibility requirements for the Equal Choice law, the state has implemented the Enhanced Community Options Program (ECOP) to supplement and fill the gaps of the Choice program. This program enables seniors whose incomes are slightly higher than the MassHealth income-eligibility criteria to receive the long term care services they need in their own homes, rather than being forced to move to a more expensive nursing home. The Enhanced Community Options Program, funded at $47.4 million this fiscal year, allows an estimated 4,300 seniors to receive needed care at home, rather than being forced into nursing homes to receive the same level of care. I was proud to cast my vote this year to provide an additional $4 million in funding for ECOP. While this level of funding is still not adequate to meet the needs of all seniors who could be helped by this program, it is another step in the right direction for the state in regard to senior care.
The Legislature should continue to fight for increased funding to ensure that no waiting list exists for programs such as this. As a member of the budget-writing House Committee on Ways & Means, I am committed to ensuring that seniors continue to have the option of home-based care.
State Representative Christopher N. Speranzo represents the Third Berkshire District, which compromises 12 of 14 precincts in the City of Pittsfield. He can be reached at: Rep.ChristopherSperanzo@hou.state.ma.us, District Office at 447-7225 or at the State House at 617- 722-2460.
