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(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman and the State of Nebraska will partner with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this fall on the "Own Your Future" campaign encouraging more Nebraskans to take an active role in planning for long-term care.
As part of the outreach effort, information on the needs of aging Americans will be mailed in late November to approximately 180,000 Nebraska households. The information will also encourage Nebraskans to order a free Long-Term Care Planning Kit. The kit highlights ways to maintain healthy lifestyles, ensure home accessibility, explore living wills and other advance directives, make financial plans and identify appropriate services.
"Better long-term care planning means more people will have the ability to choose the services, supports, and finance options that work best for them," Gov. Heineman said. "Researchers have found strong evidence that personal choice most often leads to improved consumer satisfaction, better health outcomes, and lower costs."
"Own Your Future" will also serve as part of the State of Nebraska's Medicaid Reform efforts. Medicaid costs continue to climb annually, but the Legislature and Governor are working with the Nebraska Health and Human Services System (HHSS) to find reasonable, responsible ways to cut costs without harming essential services.
Dick Nelson, director of the Finance and Support for HHSS, said, "Increased planning for long-term care is likely to increase the length of time Nebraskans can stay in their homes and also offers a greater opportunity for increased quality of life. Financial planning may also help reduce the financial pressures on public programs like Medicaid."
Nebraska is one of six states participating in the current round of the federal Health and Human Services "Own Your Future" campaign, an educational outreach effort designed to promote long-term care planning among Americans. The other states joining Nebraska in this round are Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, South Dakota and Texas. Officials will offer more information on the Nebraska program at its kick-off later this month.
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