Medicaid is a government benefit program that provides medical assistance to the poor and elderly, including paying the costs of nursing home care for many Kentucky residents. The state is now seeking proposals from companies to provide managed care for many Medicaid recipients in an effort to reduce the cost of Medicaid, which is the state government’s second biggest expense after education. This new strategy reportedly will not affect Medicaid for nursing home residents, except to the extent it puts Kentucky Medicaid on better financial footing. A Courier-Journal article on the state’s request for managed care proposals can be found at: http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/B2/20110407/NEWS01/304070071/Kentucky-seeks-proposals-manage-Medicaid?odyssey=mod_sectionstories.

If you have questions about whether a loved one could be eligible to have Medicaid pay for his or her nursing home care, contact an elder law attorney.