Washington, D.C. — Today, the Center for American Progress released a new report looking at strategies for improving long-term supports and services (LTSS) and supporting the direct care workforce. It also comes as more proposals to achieve universal health care, including CAP’s Medicare Extra for All, are including coverage for LTSS in the public insurance program’s benefit package. The report looks at what states are doing to support their direct care workforces—including implementing value-based payments and investing in professional development opportunities—and how Congress can build on their efforts. Key findings of the report include:
- As the number of family caregivers declines and the number of older Americans increases, a strong workforce will be essential to individuals seeking care in home- or community-based settings. More than 650,000 individuals—many of whom are individuals with disabilities—remain on a waitlist to receive home- and community-based services.
- States all over the country are pursuing innovative strategies to support the direct care workforce, including Kansas’s pay-for-performance payment model for the state’s Medicaid program; Pennsylvania’s and Tennessee’s managed long-term support services (MLTSS); and Washington state’s home care training programs, among others.
“As Baby Boomers and older generations of Americans continue to age, more will have to be done to improve LTSS,” said Madeline Twomey, research assistant for Health Policy at CAP and author of the report. “Innovative policies being trialed in the states offer promising strategies for achieving higher-value care and supporting the direct care workforce. It’s imperative that Congress learn from and build on their efforts.”
Please click here to read: “State Options for Making Wise Investments in the Direct Care Workforce” by Madeline Twomey
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Colin Seeberger at [email protected] or 202-741-6292.