The Buzz

How are Medicare Advantage (MA) plans structuring and delivering nonmedical supplemental benefits to meaningfully meet members’ needs? The Long-Term Quality Alliance (LTQA) and ATI Advisory conducted an analysis of three nonmedical benefits: in-home support services (IHSS), caregiver supports, and social needs. Join them for a webinar to learn about the findings.

TSF’s Anika S. Heavener, Vice President of Innovation and Investments, spoke with Silver Solutions CEO Dan Lagani for the Age Wise podcast on the challenges facing aging populations and TSF’s priorities and hopes in 2023. Watch the episode.

A recent study in the Better Care Playbook found that Medicare beneficiaries with complex needs who were enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans had lower rates of acute care utilization than those in traditional Medicare.

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.

Recent analyses by NORC at the University of Chicago explored the financial challenges likely faced by middle-income older adults in California and nationally by 2033. Watch the related California-focused discussion that builds on NORC’s findings. Also, read our fact sheet, highlighting key investments within the California state budget.

More than one-third of older adults worry about paying for health care and long-term care. Middle-income older adults, coined the “forgotten middle,” are in the particularly precarious position of being ineligible for Medicaid assistance, yet still have difficulty affording out-of-pocket costs.

A new analysis from NORC at the University of Chicago looks at California’s middle-income, older adult population and forecasts that the state will have 1.6 million middle-income older adults (age 75 and older) in 2033, nearly half of which will be people of color. Findings show that half will struggle to pay for housing and care, even if those who own sell their homes.

Earlier this week, TSF, West Health, Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP), and expert guests discussed the challenges facing older Californians, the relationship of these findings to longstanding inequities, and potential policy opportunities. View the recording.

Join TSF, along with West Health and Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP), to explore the demographic characteristics of California’s middle-income older adults and future challenges regarding health care and long-term care affordability. Register here.

The webinar will offer a local perspective that builds on the recent national findings from NORC at the University of Chicago. That research projected more than 11 million middle-income older adults may have insufficient resources to pay for long-term care and housing by 2033.

Older adults thrive in settings best suited to their individual needs. A new report from the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution highlights steps toward a system of care and supports that reflect the preferences and life goals of older adults. These include creating a constellation of care settings with adaptable and viable business models so that preferred options are available as people age, and ensuring there are enough direct and family caregivers.

New findings from NORC at the University of Chicago indicate that more than 11 million middle-income older adults – coined the “forgotten middle” – may have insufficient resources to pay for long-term care and housing by 2033. According to the research, the numbers of middle-income older adults will almost double over the next decade, and the population will be more racially and ethnically diverse. Read the press release.

Aging successfully, safely, and happily requires a range of support services. A recent brief from the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution highlights policy opportunities that bridge efforts between housing and community-based service organizations. A second brief reimagines how the nursing home quality rating system could better define and capture the lived experiences of institutionalized residents.

Related, the Better Care Playbook offers evidence and implementation resources at the intersection of housing, health, and social needs.

In a recent blog, we teamed with Milbank Memorial Fund to discuss how states can overcome challenges and make the most of American Rescue Plan Act funding for home- and community-based services (HCBS).

The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) updated roadmap and accompanying brief have recommendations for federal policy solutions to improve care for individuals with complex medical and nonmedical needs. Watch last week’s event recording.

Also, watch TSF President and CEO Sarita A. Mohanty’s related remarks in discussion with the Alliance for Health Policy on strengthening Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities.

Providing quality care to people with complex needs remains one of the most pressing issues facing our health care system. Join the Bipartisan Policy Center tomorrow, March 31, for a webinar on potential federal policy solutions.

Providing quality care to people with complex needs remains one of the most pressing issues facing our health care system. Join the Bipartisan Policy Center on March 31 for a webinar on potential federal policy solutions.