Reports Analyze Consumer Direction In State Medicaid Programs

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 26 Mar 2008 - 5:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

New reports, Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured: KCMU released two new reports examining Medicaid's role in providing consumer direction of personal assistance services in California, Colorado, New York and Virginia. The reports find that beneficiaries value the independence and control CD-PAS affords, but most acknowledge the related responsibilities are not for everyone. In addition, the reports find that key concerns for CD-PAS beneficiaries include training for consumers, assistance with recruiting direct care workers and help with unanticipated events and that monitoring quality in the programs has been limited to consumer satisfaction. According to the reports, as CD-PAS programs grow, states and beneficiaries will face challenges in maintaining a steady work force of care workers for these programs and enhancing the programs' quality and support structure (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 3/24).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.