The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is backing six nursing home residents who have filed a class action lawsuit against the state of Florida. The suit cites a 1999 court ruling, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, that assisted mentally ill people from being forced into big, impersonal hospitals. The lawsuit alleges that the plaintiffs could live less expensively in home like settings if the state if Florida would shed its bias toward institutions.
Only nine states commit a smaller portion of its budget to home-based care than Florida, with 87 cents of its Medicaid dollar spent on nursing homes when caring for the frail and disabled. Many patients aren't able to afford transportation, telephones, or their own food with Medicaid allowing residents only $35 a month in spending money, the suit says. By comparison, Oregon, who has officials committed to home based care, combine nursing home and community care and Oregon Medicaid spent about $24,000 per person in 2006, whereas Florida spent about $35,000. Oregon now has fewer nursing homes than it did in 1981.
