Medicaid Personal Care in New York City: Service Use and Spending Patterns

This United Hospital Fund report examines elderly dual Medicare-Medicaid beneficiaries in New York City who are recipients of personal care, a type of Medicaid long-term care service which includes assistance with eating, bathing, and dressing, as well as activities associated with independent living such as shopping and meal preparation.

The report provides a brief examination of those who received care during December 2008, and also profiles a cohort of beneficiaries first receiving the service in 2003 and follows them through 2008.

Among the findings, the report identifies substantial variation in the rates of personal care utilization across the city. Highlighting the magnitude and complexity of care management and cost containment challenges faced by policymakers, a significant finding revealed that once Medicaid beneficiaries become personal care recipients, they typically will not revert to lower levels of service use or cost.