44% Of New York Medicaid Home Care Agencies Report Week-Long Waits For Eligibility Evaluations

Based on reporting from New York home care organizations, many Medicaid beneficiaries needing home care were unable to access services in a timely manner. About 44% of organizations reported wait times longer than one week for eligibility evaluations, and 80% were unable to estimate how many covered care hours they could provide.

The findings were based on a cross-sectional secret shopper survey of 331 randomly selected licensed home care service agencies (LHCSAs) in New York. The survey was conducted between February and May 2024. Callers posed as caregivers seeking home care for a 70-year-old family member covered . . .