Health Affairs Publishes Age-Friendly Health Paper Ahead of Print May Issue
An Age-Friendly Health series paper, "The Home Care Workforce Has Not Kept Pace With Growth In Home And Community-Based Services," has been published online ahead of the May issue of Health Affairs.
In the U.S., home and community-based services (HCBS) are the primary approach to delivering long-term services and supports (LTSS). Medicaid is the primary payer for LTSS and its expansion of HCBS coverage has shifted LTSS out of institutions and into homes. In this paper, Amanda R. Kreider and Rachel M. Werner present new evidence on trends in the supply of home care workers relative to Medicaid HCBS enrollment.
The authors find that the home care workforce grew by 76,000 workers per year between 2008–2013, but after 2013, growth slowed, and, conversely, Medicaid HCBS participation grew continuously from 2008–2020 and accelerated between 2013–2020. Thus the growth in HCBS participation increased overall demand for paid home-based care without an increased workforce capacity. The authors note, "To sustain access to HCBS for current and future generations, new investments in this workforce are essential."
The Age-Friendly Health series features health policy research, analysis and commentary related to building health systems that provide high quality evidence-based health care to older adults.
Read the Health Affairs Home Care Workforce paper.
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