Bill could help some Ohioans avoid nursing homes

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR

COLUMBUS — More Ohioans who would be heading into nursing homes could opt for home or assisted living care, under bipartisan legislation introduced at the Statehouse.

The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. John Carey and Democratic Sen. Dale Miller, would expand eligibility for the state’s Home First program, effectively shifting public support that would have gone to nursing home care into alternative programs.

The setup would allow people to return to their home, saving an estimated $60 million in annual state spending in the process.

Lawmakers created Home First about four years ago, allowing Ohioans in nursing homes to enroll in the state’s Passport program, a Medicaid waiver that pays for home-based care instead, Carey said.

The legislation introduced by Carey and Miller would expand the Home First law to allow Medicaid-eligible Ohioans who are at-risk of going into nursing homes to access Passport funding to pay for home-based or assisted living care.

Supporters say the alternative is preferred by residents and costs the state less money — $560-$842 per month, compared to $1,700 a month for nursing home care.