The Buzz

For decades, states have been working to integrate care to improve access to high-quality care for people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, but progress is limited. Multisector Plans for Aging (MPAs) can support a process by which states can navigate the infrastructure and political constraints that have historically prevented states from advancing Medicare-Medicaid integration efforts.

In a new Health Affairs blog, TSF explores how an MPA can help states navigate barriers to advancing integrated, high-quality health care.

TSF Director of Strategic Initiatives Natalie King discussed the unique needs and challenges of our aging population with Unite Us, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration and technology in developing comprehensive and effective solutions.

King conveyed the importance of elevating the voices of older people of color, older adults with lower incomes, and older residents of geographically underserved areas. She also brought to light some data and technology inequities experienced by older adults. View the recording.

Ten states — Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Washington State — have been selected to participate in the next Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA) Learning Collaborative.

Led by the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) and made possible through support from TSF, West Health, and the May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust, the learning community is helping states advance planning efforts to support the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers across the nation. Learn more.

A recent webcast from innovation-focused Future Proof unpacks what an Multisector Plan for Aging (MPA) is, what it looks like at different stages, and how it can be valuable to a variety of communities and priorities. The episode, made possible by the American Society on Aging (ASA), also explores applying an aging and disability lens and going beyond traditional health and community services to build a movement.

• Don’t miss today’s 10 am Future Proof Live on cross-sector planning for aging at the local and state levels.

Also, check out the latest ASA blog post on supporting local MPAs in rural communities.

A resource guide published by USAging’s Aging and Disability Business Institute, the Partnership to Align Social Care, and the Camden Coalition lists five reasons why health plans should work with community-based organizations (CBOs) and uses case examples from real-life partnerships.

Read Partnerships with Community-based Organizations: Opportunities for Health Plans to Create Value.

Although recent data from the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston shows that U.S. adults, age 50+, feel their care preferences are being considered more often, stark racial and socioeconomic inequities persist. That’s the main finding of a comprehensive look at care preferences from 2014-20, funded by The SCAN Foundation.

The analyses reveal that race, income, and geography highly influence people’s care experiences. Read the related press release.

California is transforming the Medi-Cal program to be more coordinated and person-centered through the California Advancing and​ Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) program. For beneficiaries who qualify, managed care plans will offer enhanced care management and various community supports through community-based organizations (CBOs).

To help CBOs build capacity to partner with health plans and participate in the new system, the state is offering Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) — Capacity and Infrastructure Transition, Expansion and Development (CITED) grants. Register for the April 27 webinar to learn about the grants and prepare for the future. (Sponsored by TSF and the Archstone Foundation)

Through community health needs assessments, hospitals work with the community to identify unmet needs and then implement a plan to prioritize and address them. Nonprofit hospitals often fund some or most of this work using community benefit dollars. Join USAging’s Aging and Disability Business Institute (ADBI) this Friday for an overview of this process, why it is important, and how community-based organizations can partner with hospitals to drive more equitable health outcomes.

There is a lack of geriatric-prepared providers in rural areas where older adults live. A study of Pennsylvania’s largest federally qualified health center found that using the Project ECHO model to train rural providers on the 4Ms Age-Friendly Health Systems Framework demonstrated successful process outcomes.

The National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago conducted a 2022 survey on the health care needs and experiences of Californians age 55 and older. Our new fact sheets distill findings as they relate to care coordination, mental health, income disparities, and caregiving.

Learn about our initiative to influence access and care delivery and coordinate medical and nonmedical services in support of community living.

Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions and daily living challenges struggle to navigate a complex care system. Our page on Innovating for Medicare Beneficiaries outlines how states can improve equitable access to high-quality care and services for their Medicare populations. In California, learn how one woman supports the Medicare-eligible.

Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions and daily living challenges struggle to navigate a complex system of care. Innovating for Medicare Beneficiaries outlines ways states can improve equitable access to high-quality care and services for this population. In California, a survey conducted by The National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago highlights the health care needs and experiences of adults age 55 and older. Also, view an ATI Advisory profile of California’s Medicare population.

An Investigative Reporting Program article, originally published in The Washington Post, highlights examples of a changing villages movement—one that is building upon diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles, and considering past and current barriers for people of color and diverse communities as it works to expand membership and help more people age in place.

Join the California Collaborative for Long-Term Services and Supports on Tuesday, December 13, at 12 pm PT to learn about the steps Regional Coalitions are taking to develop local Master Plans for Aging (MPAs) in rural communities. The webinar will focus on how to form an advisory committee, build on existing data, gather community input, and plan for implementation and sustainability.

Learn about the advocacy efforts at Marin County Aging Action Initiative (AAI) in our inaugural Regional Coalition feature story. AAI is part of the California Advocacy Network, a statewide movement involving nearly 1,000 organizations who serve more than 95 percent of California’s population. Explore the Regional Coalition profiles.

A new brief from AARP Public Policy Institute presents the vision and framework for the 2023 Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) State Scorecard. The brief discusses AARP’s approach to the 2023 edition of the Scorecard, reflects on changes since the Scorecard was first published in 2011, and considers how future editions may best meet today’s needs.

Watch a recent Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP) discussion on services and supports offered to California’s older adult population and dual eligible beneficiaries and how these services align with the Master Plan for Aging.

A brief from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) highlights current federal initiatives for integrating payment and delivery of services for dually eligible beneficiaries and opportunities for future integration efforts.

A new Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP) resource shares facts about California’s older adult population and steps the state is taking to advance health and transform aging.

Join the related ITUP webinar tomorrow, October 27, at 1 pm PT for a discussion on new services and supports offered to California’s older adult population and dual eligible beneficiaries, and how these services align with the Master Plan for Aging.

CA for ALL Ages & Abilities Day of Action brought together nearly 900 participants (in-person and virtual) representing advocates, providers, policymakers, and more. This event – supported in partnership with Archstone Foundation, Gary and Mary West Foundation, May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust, Metta Fund, San Diego Foundation, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, and The SCAN Foundation – provided opportunities for stakeholders to hear and recommend key priorities of focus for the next two years.

The themes of equity and partnership were woven throughout the day and centered on continuing momentum for advancing the Master Plan for Aging(MPA). Access event recordings and materials and read Dr. Sarita Mohanty’s reflections on the day.

Join Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP) on Thursday, October 27, at 1 pm PT for a discussion on new services and supports offered to California’s older adult population and dual eligible beneficiaries, and how these services align with the Master Plan for Aging.