Shorter Wait Times For Iowa HCBS Linked To 25% Decrease In Nursing Home Entry Rate

Iowa Medicaid beneficiaries seeking home- and community-based services (HCBS) between 2002 and 2007 who waited less than six months for waiver services were 25% less likely to have ever had a nursing home stay lasting 90 days or longer within three years of application than those who applied when wait times were longer than six months. Among older applicants at higher risk of institutionalization, those with short wait times (less than six months) were half as likely to have a long nursing home stay compared to applicants over 40 who waited longer than six months for services. Among high . . .