Right now, there is a major push in the United States by some lawmakers for a mandatory managed health care plan. For seniors, this would entail a combination of both medical care and long term senior care, effectively integrating the two so that there was better communication, coordination, and sharing of information between these two separate bodies.
It makes a lot of sense that the integration of all types of care would be a good thing. However, the data that researchers have tried to collect to support this theory has not always been reliable. To try and answer this question with a bit more certainty, a new study was recently launched by some researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Again, the research could not make a definitive answer regarding whether or not a managed health plan was actually beneficial and cost effective in the lives of seniors and those with disabilities.
These researchers found that managed care likely did save families money and likely did lead to better overall health, but there was not enough evidence to definitively prove that there was a causal relationship between the two. While that is discouraging, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything, only that more research is needed. Hopefully, positive information will come out of this so that policy makers have a clear direction to move toward when making decisions that influence senior care and healthcare overall.
Overall policies in the U.S. can be a good way for professionals to get an idea of what is going on in the industry and to help them make educated choices to better serve you. In the end, these things do have an influence on you, but not a huge one. Instead, the big decisions that you will face on your end when helping an older loved one are going to stay the same. What kind of care will help the most? What can I afford? What will I do if there are changes in my dad’s needs a few months down the road? These are the big questions that you will need to answer, and that’s not going to change regardless of what health insurance laws do.
Having a plan in place to answer these questions effectively is important. Managed care is designed to help you make a more informed decision, but they are still things that you will need to grapple with. In the meantime, we are here to help. If you have questions about care, we will do our best to answer them. We offer this service free of charge, with no pressure to use our care service. Feel free to give us a call and schedule a consultation.
Care can be a scary thought, and the process of finding what’s best for your loved one might seem like an overwhelming thing. There are a lot of people on your side, though. Using these support structures will not only help you to relieve some of that stress, but also help you to rest assured that you are giving your mom or dad the very best in terms of their care and health.
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