Â鶹ŮÓÅ

The federal government is pushing states to keep more low-income seniors out of nursing homes and, instead, enroll them in home and community-based programs. The shift comes as demand for long-term care is rising. By 2050, the number of people older than 85 is expected to triple to more than 18 million. These seniors tend to have the highest disability rate and the greatest need for long-term care. The tug-of-war between rising demand and controlling costs has advocates for seniors worrying about quality of care. Medicaid is one of the largest expenses for states, and a it's a program they look to for savings when budgets are tight. Medicaid spending on long-term care for seniors rose by 4 percent, to nearly $89 billion in fiscal year 2013. (Cancino, 4/4)

Radiologists and minority lawmakers are hoping to find enough money in Connecticut's cash-strapped budget to reverse last year's cut in the Medicaid reimbursement rate for radiology services, which they claim has already decreased poor and often-minority women's access to mammography service while possibly increasing their risk for undetected breast cancer. (Haigh, 4/3)