Data Sources Baseline and periodic caregiver interviews. Measures include client and caregiver attributes and self-reported service use. The demonstration randomly assigned voluntary applicants into treatment and control groups. The actual monthly entitlement varied among the eight demonstration communities due to regional cost and inflation adjustments over time.
Analyses are for the year after enrollment.
Cases received baseline and semi-annual assessments. Treatment group clients were at least twice as likely as control group clients to be using any of the four community-based services. A similar, but less pervasive effect was achieved with caregiver training and support group participation. Reimbursement provided by the demonstration's Medicare waiver was generally not sufficient to exceed the level of control group service acquired through private payment. Conclusions Reimbursement levels within the demonstration may have enabled more individuals to purchase some services, but they were not sufficient to increase the average level of use over those in the control group.