from The Heritage Foundation:
The Center for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final Medicaid rule that
permits Medicaid recipients to self–direct their own health care and
supportive services. The rule, Self–Directed Personal Assistance Services Program State Plan Option (Cash and Counseling),
is a great victory for persons with disabilities. Medicaid recipients
in need of long–term care have been given the freedom to control their
own destiny. If states take advantage of it, this change has the
potential to revolutionize the $100 billion long–term care delivery
system under Medicaid.
Self–direction, with the
benefit of counseling, is a dramatic reversal of the traditional model
of long–term care that is based on dependency. Self–direction puts the
individual back in control. This raises expectations and demands
greater personal responsibility on the part of the Medicaid recipient.
But properly understood, that in itself adds value and quality as well
as expands access to services.
John Kemp, an expert on
disability issues, has explained that "control and choice is not just a
theme; they are a tenet of the disability movement."[2]
Experience shows, moreover, that putting the consumer rather than the
provider in control is also cost effective as well as personally
liberating. Says Kemp: "We have been trying to save our government
money for a long time."[3]
The Center for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final Medicaid rule that
permits Medicaid recipients to self–direct their own health care and
supportive services. The rule, Self–Directed Personal Assistance Services Program State Plan Option (Cash and Counseling),
is a great victory for persons with disabilities. Medicaid recipients
in need of long–term care have been given the freedom to control their
own destiny. If states take advantage of it, this change has the
potential to revolutionize the $100 billion long–term care delivery
system under Medicaid.
Self–direction, with the
benefit of counseling, is a dramatic reversal of the traditional model
of long–term care that is based on dependency. Self–direction puts the
individual back in control. This raises expectations and demands
greater personal responsibility on the part of the Medicaid recipient.
But properly understood, that in itself adds value and quality as well
as expands access to services.
John Kemp, an expert on
disability issues, has explained that "control and choice is not just a
theme; they are a tenet of the disability movement."[2]
Experience shows, moreover, that putting the consumer rather than the
provider in control is also cost effective as well as personally
liberating. Says Kemp: "We have been trying to save our government
money for a long time."[3]
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