In the May 1 Lawrence Journal-World, an interesting narrative plays out by laying three different Section A stories out next to each other: one about Kansas’ budget crisis, one about a rally in Topeka by people in the developmental and physical disability community, and, lastly, the day’s editorial about KanCare.

Mentioned in the article about the rally is Medicaid’s Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) program. There are multiple providers in Douglas County of this small, lesser-known program designed to provide the necessary non-medical supports to people who otherwise might have to live in a nursing home or institution. The supportive services include day-to-day activities critical to self-sufficiency, such as keeping the home safe and clean, transportation for doctor appointments and groceries, making meals, bathing, and other personal acts of physical care.

The HCBS program was created in 1981 in recognition that taxpayer expense could be reduced and quality of life could be increased for those who could live independently with a reasonable amount of additional support, instead of in a nursing home or institution. Yet, as noted in the “rally” article, the reimbursement rates for providing these services in Kansas has not been increased in over 10 years, while the cost of doing business for the provider agencies and the cost of living for the employees providing the support services have both increased dramatically. 

This non-medical in-home support is critical to the independence of those individuals who are on the HCBS program, and each day they are in their home, they are reducing the cost of tax-funded care. Additionally, these individuals are also continuing as economically contributing members of the Douglas County community — spending money at our local businesses and interacting in our community — hence the name “Home and Community Based Services.” But also, they are ensuring the employment of hundreds of people throughout Douglas County who work directly as their support providers.

The provider agencies which facilitate the HCBS programs, like Trinity In-Home Care where I am the executive director, also face budget challenges. Providing these services, while less than a nursing home or institution, is still more expensive than the state of Kansas’ rate of reimbursement. At the same time, provider agencies are prevented from paying a wage worthy of the critical work being done (and worthy of the savings by the state) because of the low reimbursement rate, increasing the costs associated with high employee turnover.

If the Kansas budget is facing deficits now, imagine the increase in deficits should all these individuals have to move into nursing homes or institutions because providers for HCBS cannot afford to stay in business — not to even begin to mention the decrease in quality of life of the individuals currently in the HCBS program and the additional economic impact our community would feel.

All of Douglas County benefits from helping our residents stay in their homes, not just for the economic impact, but also for the quality of life we can be proud of providing to some of our most vulnerable friends and neighbors.