Last month, a federal advisory panel called the Medicaid Commission released a report with recommendations to prevent Medicaid from going bankrupt. Once again, it’s all about the baby boomers, and once again, Republicans and Democrats are split on the issue. (The Kaiser Network)
The Bush administration wants to implement changes intended to save money in the long run, while the new Democratic Congress likely will resist the recommended changes. The report has not been posted online.
Adopted by a vote of 11 to 1, the recommendations include giving states more freedom to decide who’s eligible for Medicaid and what benefits they should receive.
In other Medicaid news, the Kaiser Network has released an issue brief titled, “Medicaid’s Long-Term Care Beneficiaries: An Analysis of Spending Patterns,†which looks at how Medicaid beneficiaries spend money on long term care. Seven percent of those who use long term care account for over half of all Medicaid spending.
You may download the Executive Summary (PDF) or the full Issue Brief (PDF).
