Ohio Area Agencies on Aging launch long-term care rebalancing campaign

Ohio’s 12 Area Agencies on Aging have launched a campaign to promote rebalancing long-term care, a proposition they say could save the state $500 million in the next biennium budget (Source: “Advocates see $500 million in Medicaid savings with home care,” Columbus Dispatch, Feb. 18, 2011).

Currently, nearly 6-in-10 Medicaid-eligible Ohioans older than 60 receive long-term care in nursing homes. According to Larke Recchie, director of the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging, balancing long-term care spending 50-50 between nursing homes and in-home care would save the state about a half-billion dollars.

The agencies have launched a Web site at http://www.faircareohio.org/.