Nebraska Issues Long-Term Care Concept Paper

The project includes a concept paper titled “Nebraska Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Redesign“.  “Nebraskans who are reliant on Medicaid for their long-term care deserve the best services we can possibly provide,” said Courtney Phillips, CEO, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. “This concept paper sets the course toward a better system for those Nebraskans and their families.”  According to a recent news release, the concept paper outlines the current challenges in the LTSS system, the Division’s guiding principles for the redesign, and solicits input from stakeholders in several key areas. 

“This concept paper is an important first step to ignite a discussion with our stakeholders,” said Calder Lynch, Director of the Division of Medicaid and Long-Term Care. “We know we can do better in serving older Nebraskans and individuals with disabilities. The redesign project offers us the opportunity to work collaboratively to evaluate the current system.”

The LTC redesign project will be guided by six key principles:

•  Improve the quality of services and health outcomes of recipients;
•  Promote independent living in the least restrictive setting through the use of consumer- focused and individualized services and living options;
• Strengthen access, coordination, and integration of care through streamlined LTSS eligibility processes and collaborative care management models;
• Strengthen access, coordination, and integration of care through streamlined LTSS eligibility processes and collaborative care management models;
• Improve the capacity to match available resources with individual needs through innovative benefit structures.
• Streamline and better align the programmatic and administrative framework to decrease fragmentation for clients and providers
• Refocus and rebalance the system in order to match growing demand for supports in a sustainable manner.