Nebraska is the latest state to use federal funds and mandates to get people out of expensive nursing homes. The program is called Follow The Money and it looks quite promising.

LINCOLN, Neb. — Money Follows the Person is a new demonstration project of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Nebraska is one of 31 states selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to host the five-year project.

“Money Follows the Person will allow us to explore alternatives for clients so that they can live in environments that promote their independence, safety and well-being,” said Vivianne Chaumont, Director of the Division of Medicaid and Long Term Care.

The project will help DHHS to rebalance Medicaid long-term care spending, decreasing the percentage that would normally be spent on high-cost care in nursing homes and intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded, and increasing the percentage spent on home and community-based services. This will allow people to return to their homes or apartments or relocate to other suitable living arrangements in community settings, such as houses, apartments, or small group living arrangements.

Up to 900 people could be served through this project. To qualify for participation in the Money Follows the Person project, an individual must be Medicaid-eligible and have resided in a nursing home or intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded for at least six months.

That’s 900 people who will be living in more appropriate settings; many people are placed into nursing homes because there are no alternatives. States are taking the lead, with the help of the federal government, to change this. The less people who are in nursing homes, the better. Programs like this will open up many opportunities for CNA’s- to work in home health care or smaller group home like settings. The results will be much better for the “residents” as well- they will get better care and much more attention, at a fraction of the cost of a nursing home admission.