Other Funding Sources and Expanded Roles for Area Agencies on Aging
While the OAA dollars have been shrinking in proportion to other types of funding for older Americans, many state offices and area agencies on aging have been expanding their functions to also administrate – on top of OAA revenues – sizeable allocations from Medicaid-waiver programs, federal social services block grants, senior-service levies, and other sources. Forty-eight states (and the District of Columbia) now have some type of Medicaid-waiver program (1) (allowing for the diversion of nursing home funds to in-home and community-based care). These Medicaid waivers pour billions of dollars into aging service programs, and some two-thirds of the states administrate these programs through area agencies on aging. (2) (read more…)
(1) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – HCBS Waivers – Section 1915 (C): (www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidStWaivProgDemoPGI/05_HCBSWaivers-Section1915(c).asp)
(2) U.S. Dept. of HHS: Statement of Josefina Carbonell to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on AoA Priorities: www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/2007/02/t20070215c.html