1. Medicaid Waivers
Many of our clients secure funding for assistive technology through Medicaid waivers, which differ from state to state. Many states already include technology supports as part of services for people with disabilities. Other states have worked with SimplyHome to revise their Medicaid waiver language, while a few states have been able to successfully implement technology for independent living without changing the wording of their current waivers. You may want to read our blog post on this topic: "Does My State Have Funding for Enabling Technology?"
The most effective waivers:
Coordinate the use of technology with agency services and flexible caregiver support.
Create flexibility in what technology can be utilized. Technology evolves quickly, so naming specific components can limit the usefulness of a waiver.
Set daily rate bands to enable the provider to focus on quality outcomes rather than maximizing billable hours.
HCBS 1915(c) waivers are one option available through Medicaid to fund both medical and non-medical care services. States can also propose services that assist in diverting or transitioning people with disabilities into community settings.
2. Provider Investment
Lack of formal funding does not have to deter providers from creating outcomes by investing in technology resources themselves. Many providers have been able to provide superior services and lower costs through investment in technology solutions and training. (Find out more: Education & Consultation)
Learn how one South Carolina provider created better outcomes (more independence and choices for their clients) and made their organization more effective in providing support: Implementing Technology: How One Provider Moved Past the Waiting List.
Another state where technology investment has saved money is New York: Providers Saving Money, Supporting More Clients through Technology.
3. Long-Term Care Insurance
Select long-term care (LTC) insurance policies incorporate the cost of independent living systems. SimplyHome has been approved as a vendor for this type of LTC insurance policy.
4. Grants & Foundations
Funding for assistive technology services is also available through federal, state, and local grant opportunities, as well as through charitable organizations and foundations.
While foundations often fund assistive technology services outright, grants are often used to fund pilot programs in order to demonstrate the long-term effectiveness of assistive technology services. Successful pilot programs can provide the results necessary for the state to allocate funding for assistive technology.
Learn more: How REACH, an Alaska-based organization, helps fund assistive technology through grants. (This story was also featured in the Juneau Empire.)
5. Private Pay
Many families and caregivers searching for alternatives to assisted living find that our technology allows their loved ones to live more independently at home and age in place in a way that is much more cost-effective than a long-term care facility.
Example: For 4 hours of daytime home care, plus 8 hours of nighttime staff, one family would spend $6,840 monthly to care for their aging loved one. Annually, that family would spend $82,080. However, when this family chose to implement SimplyHome technology, they paid a one-time cost of approximately $2,000 for technology with a monthly service cost of about $60 ($720 annually).
6. The No Place Like Home Program
The No Place Like Home program offers new and refurbished systems to people with disabilities, seniors, and veterans anywhere in the United States. This technology assistance program was founded by SimplyHome as a non-profit in conjunction with Eblen Charities to ensure that everyone can have the opportunity to access enabling technology.
More Resources:
If you live in North Carolina, we recommend this resource from Disability Rights NC, which explains how you may be able to receive funding from your local school, Vocational Rehab Services, or Medicaid.
For a more comprehensive list of potential funding sources for assistive technology, we recommend the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) AT Resource Funding Guide.
You may also want to check out the Administration for Community Living. ACL oversees the implementation of the AT Act of 1998 and keeps a list of Assistive Technology Programs by State.
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