Discuss an October shock. On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris laid out a proposal that will increase Medicare protection to incorporate dwelling care companies.
For the senior residing area, such a shift would have the potential to be an actual recreation changer — although whether or not the sport would enhance or decline stays an open query.
On the intense facet, it might result in extra acceptable care, permitting these in have to obtain customized help within the consolation of their houses. For senior residing operators, this might spark new partnerships with dwelling care companies, making a seamless continuum of care that higher meets the wants of our getting older inhabitants.
Let’s not placed on rose-colored glasses simply but, nonetheless. The flip facet of this proposal might depart quite a lot of operators questioning what all of it means for his or her backside line. With Medicare-funded dwelling care now an choice, we’d see a decline in occupancy charges at senior residing communities. Many lower-needs residents — those that might need chosen to maneuver right into a senior residing neighborhood — would possibly as an alternative choose to stay at dwelling.
And fewer heads in beds interprets to a thinner revenue stream. I hardly want to clarify why that isn’t a great factor.
However earlier than you get pumped or attain for the Xanax, take a deep breath. Medicare-covered dwelling care is just not a carried out deal. Removed from it.
Nothing alongside these strains will get kick began if Harris is just not elected president. Final time I checked, that was roughly a 50-50 proposition.
Furthermore, there’s that different little matter of Congress approving and funding this unprecedented enlargement to the Medicare program. It’s wanting just like the Republicans will management one chamber of Congress after the election, presumably each. So even when Harris is elected president, the chances of GOP help for her agenda are fairly low.
Then there’s the matter of whose ox is getting gored. As proposed, drug producers could be on the hook for the a lot of the $40 billion-plus estimated value of this new profit. Based on Harris, this might occur by expanded drug value negotiation.
Does anybody actually suppose that one of the crucial highly effective lobbies in Washington goes handy over that sort of cash with out going all medieval? Me neither.
So it may be mentioned with some certainty that this proposal is not going to be occurring any time quickly. That delay will give senior residing operators time to consider what might need been, both approach.
John O’Connor is editorial director for McKnight’s Senior Residing and its sister media manufacturers, McKnight’s Lengthy-Time period Care Information, which focuses on expert nursing, and McKnight’s Residence Care. Learn extra of his columns right here.
