According to the Council on Aging Ohio is spending too much when it comes to nursing homes. The council says Ohio could save millions of Medicaid dollars every year if it would make home care a priority.
"We are biased in this state to favor institutions," said Laurie Petrie a spokesperson for the Council on Aging.
Recent data from the Ohio Council for Home Care shows that of the Medicaid funds allocated for long-term care, 28% goes towards Home Care while 72% is spent on nursing homes.
"Even if we met the national average we would save $190 million per year in taxpayer's money," continued Petrie.
The national average is 36% for at home care.
Carol Scharf, 62, was in a nursing home for a few years after she suffered a stroke. She lost her job and apartment because she was unable to work.
"I didn't have any income so the doctors recommended that I go to a nursing home," said Scharf.
Medicaid reimbursed the nursing home while she was there. Then she learned about a program called Passport.
Passport pays for in home care using Medicaid.
She says she probably would have spent many more years in the nursing home had she not learned about the program.
"I wouldn't want to think about it," Scharf said.
The council on aging blames a powerful lobby for what they view as too many residents at Ohio's nursing homes.
"I think once of the things to remember is that we're a heavily regulated industry," said Chris Murray of the Ohio Academy of Nursing Homes.
"With regulation comes costs and that's one of the reasons why it's more expensive," Murray explained.
In the meantime, the Council on Aging wants lawmakers to change the way Medicaid spending for long-term care is allocated.
Instead of two line-items; one for nursing homes and one for home based and community care combine the money and allow demand to decide where it is spent.
