Discussion Post I
Using the learning materials to support your claims, respond to the following prompts in your initial post:
i. Describe what surprised you in the learning materials around the cost of long-term care.
ii. Explain the financial challenges and realities that older adults face as they age.
iii. Describe the ways in which long-term care is paid for by aging adults and patterns over time.
iv. Nursing home care is common and costly. Describe how accountable care organization (ACO) payment models have incentives for care that is better coordinated and less reliant on acute settings.
v. Describe ways in which long-term care is reimbursed for services and the impacts of pay-for-performance models. Does this have the potential to improve care for this high-cost population?
vi. As a leader of a long-term care organization, do you think it is cost effective to provide a more comfortable setting through cultural change?
vii. Does the pay-for-performance model for reimbursement have advantages?
viii. How do low reimbursement rates impact the quality of care delivered to aging adults living in a long-term care setting?
Discussion Post II
After reading Payne (2015), respond to the following prompts in your original post:
i. Describe what the author refers to with the phrase Medicaid planning.
ii. Describe ethical factors related to Medicare planning and spending down assets to qualify. Provide an argument for those who support this and those who oppose.
iii. What are the consequences to the healthcare industry if an aging adult is allowed to "spend down" to access Medicaid to cover health care costs (that is, increasing costs and diminished quality)?
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.