Expanding Health Care Coverage

By

Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government

Funding Area

Expanding Health Care Coverage

Date

February 1, 2009

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A new study conducted by the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, with funding from NYHealth, compares New York State to 18 other large states on various aspects of long term care.

Long-term care includes nursing facilities, care for the mentally retarded and mentally ill, and home and personal care. Comparison states include California, Texas, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

The report shows that New York’s Medicaid program spends more on long-term health care than any other state, but indicators of quality here are “about average or slightly above average.” During 2006, the most recent year for which data was available, New York State spent some $19 billion on long-term care, while California was second with about $12 billion. Adjusting such spending for the number of aging residents, New York spent an average of $5,500 on long-term care for each state resident over 65 – some 2.5 times the national average.