Home care for ventilator-dependent persons: a cost-effective, humane public policy.

The study measured cost-effectiveness of home care for severely disabled persons. Findings support home care as more cost-effective than other alternatives for ventilator-dependent persons. Home care-related policy reform in Medicaid, Medicare, Supplemental Security Income, and subsidized housing, coupled with a coordinated service delivery system, could save millions of public dollars. To accomplish this, policies must accommodate and encourage independent community living for the disabled and the integrity of their families.