How States Are Shaping Home- and Community-Based Services
Article Publication Date
Summary
The National Conference of State Legislatures recently released a report discussing the potential impacts of state legislative decisions on the landscape of home- and community-based services (HCBS).
While states must cover nursing facilities in their Medicaid programs, states can decide whether to include coverage of HCBS. The growing demand for HCBS is driven by aging populations, longer life expectancy for people with disabilities and a long-standing federal and state focus on reducing reliance on institutional services (often called “rebalancing”). States have an array of HCBS policy options at their disposal, including Medicaid program authorities, eligibility, and oversight, all of which may impact on individuals’ access to HCBS in their state.
While states must cover nursing facilities in their Medicaid programs, states can decide whether to include coverage of HCBS. The growing demand for HCBS is driven by aging populations, longer life expectancy for people with disabilities and a long-standing federal and state focus on reducing reliance on institutional services (often called “rebalancing”). States have an array of HCBS policy options at their disposal, including Medicaid program authorities, eligibility, and oversight, all of which may impact on individuals’ access to HCBS in their state.