Most of us want to age in place. In fact, AARP reports that 77% of people 55 and older prefer to age in their homes. Nursing homes and elder care facilities can be uncomfortable for a number of reasons. There is a certain lack of control in those institutions. From the food to the furniture, simple things are chosen for the residents. The Money Follows the Person Program is here to help seniors who wish to age in place.
What is the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program?
The Money Follows the Person Program, or MFP, is an initiative created by Medicaid. MFP provides financial support to residents of care facilities who would like to move back into the home that they cherish and have invested time and money in. The program varies by state. The assistance would come from federal grants to states, which would then be used to care for seniors as well as others who might require full time care.
Medicaid defines MFP demonstration as a state’s, “efforts for rebalancing their long-term services and support system so that individuals have a choice of where they live and receive services.” It gives options back to seniors and stops them from feeling like they have no choice in certain matters of their care plan.
MFP Program Goals
These are the goals that Medicaid has listed on their website.
- Increase the use of home and community-based services (HCBS) and reduce the use of institutionally-based services
- Eliminate barriers in state law, state Medicaid plans, and state budgets that restrict the use of Medicaid funds to enable Medicaid-eligible individuals to receive support for appropriate and necessary long-term services and supports in the settings of their choice
- Strengthen the ability of Medicaid programs to provide HCBS to people who choose to transition out of institutions
- Put procedures in place to provide quality assurance and improve HCBS
How to sign up
In order to enroll in the MFP, you must first be registered in a Medicaid Long Term Care program. You must also be living in a Medicaid-approved institution for at least 60 days. There are 36 states that have established the Money Follows the Person program. Please check if you are eligible based on your location. To read more about it, visit the Medicaid Planning website.
Let’s Talk About It
The MFP program is similar to the Choose Home Act, which we discussed in a previous blog post. We would love to get your opinion on the MFP, and why you might or might not support it.
