Money Follows the Person

An institutional bias currently exists that forces individuals with long term care needs to receive services in nursing homes and other institutional settings:

In FY 2005, West Virginia spent $755 million Medicaid dollars on long term care expenses;
59.1% (446 million dollars) of long term care dollars were spent on nursing homes and other facilities; and
40.9% (309 million dollars) of long term care dollars were spent on community based services.

According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), there are approximately 1,913 individuals living in nursing homes in West Virginia who would like to return home. Currently, a disproportionate amount of our Medicaid spending is used to provide services in nursing homes/facilities. These same services could be provided in the homes and communities of individuals at a lower cost and in a way that respects the choice and dignity of each individual.

We ask our legislators to continue to monitor Money Follows the Person and to support legislation and/or policy changes which allow money to follow the individual into the setting of their choice by incorporating the following to end the institutional bias which exists in West Virginia:

Allow funding currently supporting individuals in nursing homes or other institutional settings to "follow the person" into community-based services and supports;
Revenue neutral - use the funding from current services to follow the person and fund the community-based services;
Require DHHR to engage in the development of policies and procedures which support the successful return of individuals to their communities; and
Require DHHR to report regularly to LOCHHRA concerning the progress of policy changes to eliminate the institutional bias and the status of those eligible individuals who choose to move to community-based settings.

For more information contact:
Fair Shake Network at 304-766-0061, email: wvfsn@charter.net
or
Ann Watts McDaniel, WV Statewide Independent Living Council 304-766-4624 (office) or 304-617-1417 (cell) or email: ann.meadows@wvsilc.org.

Note: Data from the HCBS Clearinghouse for the Community Living Exchange Collaborative sponsored by CMS, the Independent Living Research Utilization project, Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, National Academy for State Health Policy, and Boston College Graduate School of Social Work.