For many Americans, the understanding of healthcare when it comes to senior citizens is that their benefits are derived from Medicare. While that may be true for millions, there are many seniors who are on Medicaid. A new infographic from the Kaiser Family Foundation breaks down that correlation significantly.
There are several figures displayed, where stats showcase how senior citizens made up 15% of the American population (47.5 million) in 2015. Their need for long-term care increases with age, as by 85 and up, they are 74% more likely to need that extra care. In the coming decades, the number of living Americans age 85 and up is trending to triple to 19 million by 2050. One reason being, Americans are taking steps to become healthier and therefore live longer. However, as the KFF points out, nursing homes and home health care are pricey; in 2016 the former cost an average of $82,000 a year, the latter $46,000 a year. In many cases, it doesn’t just boil down to Medicare.
The KFF found that close to one out of three senior citizens fall below 200% of the FPL, making many of them (below 133% of the FPL) eligible for Medicaid most states. And despite seniors only making up 9% of Medicaid enrollees, they are responsible for 21% of Medicaid’s spending. In 2015, out of the $331.2 billion dollars of spending for long-term care, Medicaid paid 53% of that figure. Medicare does not cover long-term care, and seniors utilize Medicaid’s long-term services within both community and institutional settings. It’s a 50/50 split, in fact, as the KFF points out.
The greatest takeaway is this: as the Trump administration prepares its crackdown on both Medicare and Medicaid, it’s clear with the numbers laid out that senior citizens—arguably the ones who need the most care as they age—are the greatest affected should Medicaid block grants and budget cuts deny them access to vital care. While states may be given the choice to opt in and opt out of whatever they want, if the elderly are not a priority, then where will they fall within the decision-making.
