Is MiCASSA a new unfunded mandate?
No. MiCASSA is a way to make the existing mandate for nursing homes, and the virtual mandate for institutions for people being served by the various state Mental Retardation/Developmental Disability systems, responsive to the needs and desires of the consumers of these services. MiCASSA says the people who are already eligible for these services will simply have a choice of where they receive services. MiCASSA would adjust the current system to focus on the recipients of service, instead of mandating funding for certain industries and facilities. • Why is MiCASSA needed? Our current long term services system has a strong institutional bias. Seventy five percent of Medicaid long term care dollars go to institutional services, leaving 25% to cover all the community based services. Every state that takes Medicaid funds must provide nursing home services while community based services are completely optional for the states. MiCASSA says, let’s level the playing field, give the person, inst
