What is the biggest problem with the long-term health care system in the US?

What is the biggest problem with the long-term health care system in the US?

Karl Steinberg (Associate Medical Director, Sharp Mission Park Medical Group) gives expert video advice on: What is the 'Sandwich Generation' in regard to long-term care?; Who can help me make decisions about long-term care?; Why is long-term care such a hot issue right now? and more...

The biggest problem with the long-term care system in the United States right now, I guess it just depends on who you ask. I think one thing that I find troubling is that with Medicaid they will pay for someone to be in a nursing home, but someone with the exact same medical needs, Medicaid will not pay for them to be in a lower level of care. So we see people in nursing homes that really could be at a lower level of care. I believe their quality of life would probably be a lot better at a lower level of care. And, it would cost us taxpayers a lot less dollars. You know you're talking maybe $4,500 in a nursing home and that could be $2,000. That's a lot of money. If you look at the numbers of people who are receiving custodial care. So, I guess, at least from a general public health and public finance standpoint, I'd say that's one of the biggest issues or problems.