How will we best serve the number of people who qualify for access to services provided through Medicare in the coming years
by Martina Wood, Chief Operating Officer, FEI Systems
By generally accepted social standards, when you turn 65, you’re officially considered an older adult. While many continue to lead active, productive lives well into their golden years, as we age, we all likely need more care and support.
In the next decade, the number of people who will reach the age of 65 and qualify for access to services provided through Medicare and protections afforded by laws like the Older Americans Act (OAA), will increase exponentially. In the nearly six decades since the establishment of both Medicare (and Medicaid) and the OAA, millions of people have benefitted from publicly funded health and human services. Supported in part by these programs and services, people are living longer and healthier lives, contributing to what will be a dramatic demographic shift in the coming years. Some estimates suggest the population of older adults in the U.S. will see a 47 percent increase by 2050.
Over the course of my career in health information technology and client services, I’ve seen many changes in how care and services are managed and delivered for those with the greatest need, especially older adults and those living with disabilities. For more than 20 years, I’ve worked diligently to support client partners with tools and information that assist them in serving their program beneficiaries, and I recognize this coming demographic shift, and the challenges it presents, are unprecedented.
Managing the growing demand for health and human services, especially as more people seek to age in place, will not be easy. Agencies and organizations administering Medicare and Medicaid programs and/or OAA-funded initiatives will be under increased pressure to deliver on their mission to serve aging and disabled individuals in their communities.
The recent updates to the OAA, released in February of this year by the Administration for Community Living, signal that our federal partners are preparing to meet these challenges head on. By clarifying policies that were enacted decades ago and putting greater emphasis on identifying those individuals with the greatest social and economic needs, the ACL has created a roadmap for the delivery of care and support to beneficiaries.
At FEI Systems, we consider ourselves a compass for our client partners as they navigate through changes and determine the best ways to adapt care models to accommodate demographic shifts. We continually enhance our comprehensive case management solutions to support compliance with federal regulations and evolving program requirements. As a member of the executive leadership team, I’m honored to play an integral role in determining how our solutions support vital aging and disabilities programs, and I’m proud of the part we play in ensuring individuals get the care and services they need to thrive.
