Closing the Gap Between Knowledge and Practice in the U.S. Long-Term Care System

The push for Medicaid reform is evident in the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), which was crafted, in part, as a response to state-level dissatisfaction with existing waiver options. The DRA spells significant changes for Medicaid, as it institutes deep revisions of some of the program\u27s core elements. The most significant components of the DRA\u27s reforms include the expansion of state options and the simplification of the option approval process. This article examines the newly available options that will most notably affect Medicaid services to the elderly, especially long-term care, and it summarizes program revisions under consideration or active development