MFP funds have helped more than 101,000 individuals successfully transition from institutional long-term care settings to home and community-based care
In September 2020, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced access to $165 million in supplemental Money Follows the Person (MFP) funding.
Since it was announced in 2007, these funds have helped more than 101,000 individuals successfully transition from institutional long-term care settings to home and community-based care.
However, in 2019 fewer than 4,500 transitions occurred—suggesting that many states had either already moved their transitions programs into permanent constructs or were discarding them in the future.
Up to $5 million in funding is available now for each of the 33 states that sustained their MFP demonstrations through 2019.
State leaders now have a limited-time, federally funded chance to leverage dollars during a time when long-term care is just beginning to realize the full impacts of COVID-19. The opportunity to capitalize on these funds will be limited if states only use them to sustain a temporary and dwindling demonstration program construct.
There is emerging opportunity to address systemic barriers to rebalancing during this time of massive long-term care sector disruption.
A deliberate and thoughtful rebalancing strategy is timelier than ever.
State leaders should consider the following seven opportunities to use 2020 MFP funds.
Now is the time to drive sustainable change in LTSS. MFP dollars can help to support a strategic plan to address barriers to rebalancing. States that have scaled down transition programs should inquire with their CMS regional office to explore eligibility to access funds and share the intent to embark on projects that would improve the LTSS delivery model.
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