I work for Disability Network Southwest Michigan, in the Nursing Facility Transition Program. I help people who have Medicaid and reside in a skilled nursing facility who wish to transition out into the community. This is a wonderful program that saves Medicaid a great deal of money for each person who transitions out to the community.
It can be difficult to find all the necessary supports and services for a person to have a successful transition. This is about to become much more difficult, due to cuts to Department of Human Services' Adult Home Help program. Beginning Oct. 1, this program will no longer serve individuals who only need help with instrumental activities of daily living, such as shopping, housekeeping, transportation to medical appointments and chore provision.Many people I've helped return to the community only require this sort of help. Some people I've worked with have family or friends to assist with these things, but this is not true for everyone. Without these services, medical appointments get missed, homes fall into unsanitary conditions and nutrition suffers. The end result: Increased hospital recidivism and return to placement in a skilled nursing facility, where Medicaid pays roughly an average of nine times as much to house and care for these individuals as when they're out in the community.
The Adult Home Help program can spend about 20 Medicaid dollars per day and help people remain safe and independent in the setting of their choice. A skilled nursing facility costs Medicaid around $172 per day. Please contact our legislators and encourage them to make informed, fiscally responsible decisions and repeal the cuts to the Adult Home Help program.
Dawn Frasier
Coldwater
Source http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/
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