Protecting Medicaid
Medicaid is the nation’s only comprehensive health care safety net. For millions of older and disabled Americans, Medicaid is the only link to the most basic primary care.
Medicaid does need to be modernized and made more efficient. For many states, annual increases in Medicaid spending have created a financial burden that has grown into a crisis. Tight budgets and competing priorities are leading policymakers at both the state and federal levels to focus on options for reducing Medicaid outlays.
Down the road, the real driver of Medicaid costs will be meeting the long term care needs of a rapidly aging nation. The current financing and delivery system impoverishes workers and consumers, places undue financial stress on state and local governments, and can even compromise the quality of the care provided.
Far too many long term care workers lack adequate wages or access to health benefits. This is no way to build a stable workforce that can provide the hands-on care our seniors will need. Failure to address these issues will leave us with a health care system that is unstable, poor quality, and which ultimately will hurt those it is supposed to protect. As a nation, we can do better.
Related Links
- SEIU White Paper: First, Do No Harm (Microsoft Word Document)
Long Term Care Issues
Aging in America
In 2008, baby boomers qualify for Social Security. Unless legislators make dramatic changes, health care and retirement costs threaten to bankrupt the nation. More »
