News and Insights

The governor’s May Revision is being framed as a response to fiscal uncertainty, but for Californians, it reads as a decision to make essential services harder to reach, just as need is rising. When we talk about budget reductions, the focus is often on what disappears, but in practice, costs rarely vanish. They are transferred elsewhere: onto unpaid family caregivers, hospitals, or local systems already under strain. 

Every society reveals its values through how it cares for people with the greatest health and support needs – and for the families, caregivers, providers, and community organizations that sustain them. For millions of Californians, Medicaid is not simply a budget line item, but a lifeline to the state’s health and social care infrastructure. It supports older adults, people with disabilities, children and families, those with low-incomes, and other Californians who rely on essential health, behavioral health, home- and community-based, and long-term care services. 

The United States is at an inflection point. As our population ages, the demands on our long-term care system are accelerating; however, the system itself has not kept pace. What we are witnessing is often described as a “caregiving crisis,” but that framing understates the reality.

Medi-Cal continues to be a critical access point for health care and home and community-based services (HCBS) for older adults and people with disabilities. As these populations grow and their needs change, it’s imperative that Medi-Cal evolve to remain responsive.

Extensive new research shows better outcomes and lower costs result when providers consider patient preferences in care plans. Diving into LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston’s quantitative and qualitative work, we learn key takeaways and actionable insights.

The SCAN Foundation appreciates the opportunity to submit this statement for the record in relation to the Committee’s December 3, 2025 hearing, “Aging in Place: The Impact of Community during the Holidays.”  

As millions of low-income older adults and people with disabilities struggle to access the care they need, The SCAN Foundation (TSF) is committing nearly $8 million over three years to develop and adopt viable, people-centered policy solutions with active community involvement.

A recent McKnights Home Care article spotlighted a groundbreaking Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) dashboard developed by ATI Advisory with support from The SCAN Foundation.

Just under 6 million older adults and people with disabilities nationwide rely on health and supportive services through Medicaid’s Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) program, according to a new database showing where these individuals reside.

On April 9, 2025, The SCAN Foundation’s President and CEO Sarita A. Mohanty provided testimony at the Joint Hearing of California Assembly Budget Subcommittees on Human Services and Health.

New research from NORC at the University of Chicago identifies approximately 6.5 million older adults—about 12% of the over-65 population—who are caught in a “middle market” gap: they have too many assets to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford their long-term care needs.

This article, originally published by The Boston Globe, features insights from The SCAN Foundation’s President and CEO Dr. Sarita Mohanty, reflecting on the question: “Is how we age a choice?”

This article, originally published by Finextra, features insights from The SCAN Foundation’s President and CEO Dr. Sarita Mohanty on the findings from a study by the Aspen Institute, which revealed that nearly half of adults aged 55 and above lack the emergency savings needed to weather financial shocks, leaving them vulnerable to debt and financial instability.

The SCAN Foundation (TSF), an independent public foundation that catalyzes bold and equitable approaches to creating a society where every older adult can age well and with purpose, today announced it has awarded $900,000 in grant funds, including co-funding from the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) and Metta Fund.

Millions of Black and Hispanic middle-income older adults will lack the financial resources to pay for senior housing and health care expenses as they age, according to new research from NORC at the University of Chicago.