Medicaid plays a vital role in providing low-income seniors and seniors with disabilities across America with the care they need. Making up 9% of those covered by Medicaid, 7.2 million seniors depend on the program for essential health care and services.
Modern Medicaid Alliance partner Justice in Aging is a non-profit legal advocacy organization that advocates to strengthen safety net programs like Medicaid. Their work focuses on supporting older adults who are marginalized and excluded from justice, such as women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with limited English proficiency.
Not only does Medicaid cover six out of ten nursing-home residents, but Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) also allow low-income seniors to “age in place” and continue to live in their own homes and communities. HCBS include both medical services and assistance with daily activities such as eating and getting dressed.
Justice in Aging advocates for Medicaid HCBS to be accessible to people with disabilities of all ages. In Medicaid Home and Community Based Services for Older Adults with Disabilities: A Primer, Justice in Aging highlights the disparities in access to home-based care across states, by age, and for people of color..
Justice in Aging creates and shares additional resources on the importance of importance of expanding access to HCBS and addressing barriers to home-based care for older adults, such as Why Older Adults Need Bold Investment in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services. These resources emphasize the need for expanded access to quality HCBS services and support for the essential workers who provide these services. With increased investment in HCBS, aging adults and people with disabilities in every state would have the option to get the support they need at home.
Justice in Aging advocates for other important Medicaid policies that increase access, such as preserving the Medicaid retroactive coverage policy and the harm of Medicaid work requirements for seniors. Their organization highlights the necessity for a strong, sustainable Medicaid program that continues to serve millions of seniors and people with disabilities.
To learn more about Justice in Aging, click here. For more information about Justice in Aging’s resources on Medicaid, click here.