The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently weighed in on potential changes that could make senior care better for the elderly population within the U.S. Although these changes are not yet official, the CMS does carry a lot of weight when it comes to senior care and policies regarding care. They are the federal organization that oversees Medicare and minimum requirements for Medicaid that are then applied within each state. Even if these changes do not happen in the near future, it’s good to know what this organization is thinking as far as what can be done to help our elderly loved ones get more out of their care.
Acknowledging that it has been difficult to keep seniors safe during the pandemic, the head of CMS stated recently that modern senior care relies too heavily on nursing homes. Rather than place the burden of care primarily on nursing homes, other methods should be more heavily utilized.
Additionally, policymakers were encouraged to look at the shortcomings that were exposed by COVID so that similar issues could be avoided in the future. Much of the issues that nursing homes face can be traced back to financial strain. Rethinking how the elderly pay for their care may be part of the solution. More money flooding in from taxpayers isn’t the solution here as has been one of the focal points of the past. Instead, it was argued that making care more affordable for those that need it may be of greater benefit. Things like quality outcomes may also help here. Right now, only about two percent of nursing homes in the U.S. see payments based on the quality of care that is provided. In a perfect world, this would help care companies improve the service that is provided.
Ms. Seema Verma, the head of CMS, recently published these comments in an opinion piece that was published in Newsweek.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how a lot of people think about senior care. Overall, this is a good thing. There remains a lot of room for improvement when it comes to applying senior care on a national level, and although the pandemic has been a tragedy on many fronts, if good things can come out of it, then we should definitely try and embrace these things. It’s the old adage of turning lemons into lemonade. That may be an oversimplification here, but it is always important to try and improve the level of assistance and support for the people that we love and care about.
We might be able to help you and your family. If you’re located in the Bay Area, please feel free to reach out with your care related questions. Things have changed dramatically over the last year, and odds are, you’re not a hundred percent sure what’s the best choice for your loved one when it comes to care. You might not even know where to start. Either way, we can help you. Give us a call or send us an email. One of our trained care professionals would love to help you and your family find the best care.
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