Industry Note:
Controversy Erupts Over Hoosier State Home Care
Published on Tue May 17, 2011
Many home care providers are seeing their state budgets for the Medicaid benefit cut. Case in point: In Indiana, the Indiana Home Care Task Force has accused the state of underfunding its CHOICE home care benefit for residents. Gov. Mitch Daniels' administration has expressed its dislike for the program, which doesn't receive federal matching funds, reports the Louisville, Ky. Courier-Journal. State reps insist the CHOICE program will be fully funded -- eventually. "It's hard for us to buy the fact that more dollars are going to show up later," Task Force chair John Cardwell told the newspaper. At a press conference, an Indiana Family and Social Services Administration spokesperson admitted 15 percent of the program's budget -- about $7.3 million -- was held back in fiscal year 2011 due to a state-wide budget-cutting effort.