Choice Cuts Costs in Medicaid Programs

States are finding choice is one way to cut costs as America ages.

Policymakers are learning citizens want choice when it comes to long-term care of the graying population.

Marc Gold, director of the Promoting Independence Initiative in the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, said the cost of nursing home care is about twice the cost of similar services in community-based care.

“Community care is not only about human choice, not only about individual choice, not only about quality of life, or quality of care,” he said. “Not only is it the preferred model. It’s about saving money.”