Pennsylvania Implements Changes To Shift To Home-, Community-Based Care

Pennsylvania is taking steps to implement a "state strategy to shift more individuals into home and community care," the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. According to the Post-Gazette, the administration of Gov. Ed Rendell (D) has "beefed up funding of home-assistance programs intended to keep people out of nursing homes" and is "preparing financial incentives to encourage nursing homes to eliminate skilled-care beds." In addition, new assisted-living regulations "are being developed that will add government financing for people who require only some supervision." The state also has offered financial assistance to nursing homes that are willing to shift their focus to alternative types of care.

Michael Hall, state deputy secretary of long-term living, said that the shift to home- and community-based care will save the state money. "If we're spending $70,000 or $80,000 a year on a nursing home bed, and I can take that bed off line, I can buy a heck of a lot of home- and community-based services and help a lot more people," Hall said, adding, "It's about rebalancing the system and services so we have a healthier array of more cost-effective services that do better in meeting consumer preferences."

According to the Post-Gazette, nursing homes "don't view themselves as an endangered species" because "there will always be a severely limited portion of the population needing help." Paul Winkler, president of Presbyterian SeniorCare, said, "Our position has been it's not an either-or decision" between funding home and community care and nursing homes, adding, "The whole idea is to look at gaps, how to fill them, how to do reimbursements, the whole continuum of services" (Rotstein, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1/6).


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