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Medicaid. Will the public program neglect the poor to pay for the elderly?
Hospitals & Health Networks
|May 20, 1995
Summary
Middle-class individuals with Alzheimer's disease face significant financial burdens, often requiring them to deplete savings for nursing home care. Balancing their needs with those of the poor may strain the Medicaid system.
Area of Science:
- Health Policy
- Gerontology
- Economics
Background:
- Medicaid policy often overlooks the financial challenges faced by middle-class individuals requiring long-term care.
- Alzheimer's disease necessitates extensive and costly nursing home care, impacting personal finances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the financial strain on middle-class individuals, exemplified by Alzheimer's patients, within the Medicaid system.
- To examine the potential systemic risks of balancing the needs of middle-class beneficiaries with the traditionally served low-income population.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative analysis of a case study (Peggy) representing a demographic.
- Discussion of policy implications for Medicaid resource allocation.
Main Results:
- Middle-class individuals, like Peggy, are forced to spend down assets to qualify for Medicaid for nursing home care.
- The current Medicaid system may be ill-equipped to handle the financial demands of both middle-class and low-income populations simultaneously.
Conclusions:
- Policy-makers must consider the financial needs of the middle-class when reforming Medicaid.
- The strain on Medicaid resources could be exacerbated by the increasing number of individuals requiring long-term care for conditions like Alzheimer's.