New federal funds spur expansion of home care services for the elderly and disabled
These services can make the difference between being able to live at home with family or landing in a nursing facility. But state Medicaid programs don't always pay for them.
For older people and people with disabilities, solving everyday practical problems can be the difference between being able to live at home or being forced to move to an institution. Sometimes people need help getting dressed or making meals. Sometimes they need help managing medications or shopping for groceries.
Originally, these things weren't paid for by Medicaid, the federal health care program that many low-income and disabled Americans rely on. In recent but it's still optional for states. Some states have adopted it widely, while in others, more care still happens in nursing homes and other institutions.
