States can save money and redirect medically-oriented care to those who need it most. Not only is home and community-based care what people want, it can also be far less expensive. There is a wide variation in the cost of supporting people with disabilities in the community because individuals have different levels of need. But, for the average person, the annual cost of home and community based services is less than one-half the average cost of institutional care. This paid for a little over 1 million people.
Community services make sound, economic sense.
In fact, the States are out ahead of us here in Washington on this issue. Thirty States are now providing the personal care optional benefit through their Medicaid programs. Almost every State offers at least one home and community based Medicaid waiver program. Indeed, this is one of Senator Chafee's most important legacies. He was ahead of his time.