The Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas advocates for issues effecting seniors.  Below is a list of current activities.

 

For information on the 2008 Silver Haired Legislative Session click here.

THE CRISIS IN MEDICAID HOME CARE

·         The eight Area Agencies on Aging (AAA’s) and the Arkansas Department of Health serve 14,514 Medicaid Home Care clients per year and employ 4,827 home care aides.

·         The average annual cost per person in home care is $7,097.  For comparison purposes, DHS reports that the average annual cost per person for nursing home care is approximately $45,000.

·         In October, 2006, the operating costs to in-home care providers such as the AAA’s increased from $5.25 to $6.25 per hour due to the state minimum wage increase.  Other upcoming federal increases, to $6.55 in 2008, and $7.25 in 2009, will be devastating without an increase in Medicaid rates.

·         Though the minimum wage increased in 2006, there was no additional state money to those providers in order to offset the mandated raises.

·         Rising costs have made recruitment and retention a critical problem.  Some AAA’s are now unable to accept new clients due to their inability to staff the cases.

·         Since 1992 the Medicaid Personal Care rate has gone from $11.40 per hour to $12.35 in 1997, then to $13.84 per hour in 2004; services provided by aides, nurses, supervisors, and others are included in this hourly rate.  By comparison, according to a 2006 survey, Missouri’s rate was $18.64 and Texas’ rate was $15.49.

·         Arkansas needs a 21% increase in the Medicaid Home Care rate, from $13.84 to $16.76, in order to remedy the current crisis and contend with future cost increases, including the two upcoming increases in the federal minimum wage.  The total cost to the state of Arkansas would be $4 million per year in matching funds.

·         Without home and community-based care as a viable option, homebound and disabled seniors, also the surging “baby boomer” population, will inevitably be forced into institutional care. 

·         We must act now to insure that older Arkansans have a home care choice in their future.