opulation merits a great deal of special attention.
Emphasis in the provision of health care services for the elderly is all too often placed on institutional care only, and on the costs of such care. Institutional care is the major component of the total health care services provided for the elderly. Further, hospital costs, together with nursing home costs, account for the greatest proportion of the total health care costs for the elderly. A comprehensive program for the provision of health care services for the elderly, however, cannot be based solely on the largest care delivery components in the system.
Studies have indicated that the provision of health care services for the elderly in their homes may provide improved levels of health care at lower costs than inpatient institutional care (Thomas, 1988). Some government regulations both federal and state pertaining to the reimbursement of health care providers, however, and the policies of many major health insurance underwriters tend to discourage lower cost alternatives to in
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