North Carolina

Growth in the cost of long-term care services in the U.S. has slowed somewhat during the past two years. As home health care gains in popularity, however, costs are beginning to rise more rapidly and are expected to increase steadily over the next few years. Read about these trends and more in this 2010 study that looked at consumer perceptions and cost trends by state and key metropolitan areas.

This updated resource, the first reflecting a ten year perspective, provides a state‐by‐state look at wages and wage trends for PHCAs, the fourth fastest‐growing occupation in the country, and a key job title within the direct‐care workforce. Prepared as a resource guide on wages for advocates and policymakers, the data underscore the problem of low wages for PHCAs, factors which contribute to workforce instability and near‐poverty incomes for this workforce.

The North Carolina MFP demonstration project assists Medicaid-eligible individuals who live in inpatient facilities to move into their own homes and communities, and to help identify and address barriers to receiving quality, community-based care. Their website includes historical information, forms, contact information, presentations and outreach materials that can be used as templates for other states seeking to develop similar materials.

Fiscal year 2010 presented the most difficult challenge for states' financial management since the Great Depression, according to this biannual state fiscal report. With a big drop in revenues from income taxes and other sources, the states are facing their worst fiscal squeeze in decades, as they try to keep programs running for more people, but have fewer dollars to spend. Budget cuts threaten health and social service programs, including the delivery of long-term services and supports.

Medicaid finances nearly half of all LTSS spending. Review an update to existing data on Medicaid financial eligibility standards for nursing home and HCBS waiver services for older persons and adults with disability. 2009 data were obtained on state selection of optional pathways for eligibility, income and asset standards, cost-sharing and other post-eligibility financial requirements. A copy of the survey instrument and accompanying letter to state Medicaid Directors are included.

Findings in this report focus on what has been learned about the status of grant implementation and factors that facilitate progress early and throughout the implementation period, and progress on grantees’ goals and achievement of Systems Transformation (ST). It presents results for both FY05 and FY06 ST Grantees, builds on findings from the first annual report and focuses on two different stages of implementation for the FY05 grantees (Year 3) and the FY06 grantees(initial 15-months).

Grant awards totaling approximately $2.25 million to 12 states to implement the Lifespan Respite Care Program were recently awarded, adding to the twelve states that received awards in 2009. Lifespan Respite Care programs are coordinated systems of accessible, community-based respite care services for family caregivers of children or adults of all ages with special needs. Find information about the implementation of the program, and learn more about the key activities of each of the grantees.

This updated resource, the first reflecting a ten year perspective, provides a state-by-state look at wages and wage trends for PHCAs, the fourth fastest growing occupation in the country, and a key job title within the direct care workforce. Prepared as a resource guide on wages for advocates and policymakers concerned with this workforce, the data underscore the problem of low wages for PHCAs, factors contributing to workforce instability and near poverty incomes for this workforce.

This report is the latest in a series of annual reports that present expenditures data for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers authorized under Section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act. Table 1 presents reported Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 expenditures for each HCBS waiver in effect during that year. Table 2 presents HCBS waiver expenditures data from FY 2004 through FY 2009 by state. The remaining tables present data according to the populations served in waivers.

This report is the latest in a series of annual reports on Medicaid long-term care expenditures. Table 1 presents national expenditures data for FY 1997–FY 2009. Tables A through T present state-by-state expenditures data for FY 2004–FY 2009 for specific categories of service. Tables U, V, and W present the distribution of each state’s LTC expenditures among institutional and community-based services.