These officials reason that many persons enter nursing homes because of a scarcity of other care options, not because they need skilled nursing care. States believe they can provide HCBC services at a lower cost per capita than they would spend for nursing home care. Long-term care recipients also prefer home to institutional care, according to surveys, giving states another incentive to augment HCBC services. Purpose A number of states have demonstrated that a state's long-term care system can be transformed from almost total dependence on nursing home care to a more comprehensive system that offers a variety of care options. This report provides information on these long-term care models to encourage similar efforts in other states.
States learn from each other.
State officials frequently exchange ideas and strategies with each other. This report is intended to contribute to that process. Another goal is to help consumers understand the key components of state long-term care systems and how those elements need to be linked to create a comprehensive range of service and financing options. This information can help consumers advocate in their states for the development or expansion of long-term care options so that more people will be able, if they wish, to remain in their homes and communities as they age. The report draws on the programs and experiences of a number of states that have been leading the way in recent years in building comprehensive long-term care systems.