The Buzz

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.

In a recent request for information, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sought feedback to strengthen Medicare Advantage and advance health equity. Drawing on years of research, ATI Advisory and Long-Term Quality Alliance (LTQA) shared how CMS can strengthen supplemental benefits to advance health equity and better support Medicare beneficiaries.

Our latest Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll indicates that most U.S. adults think private health insurers (60%) and Medicare (57%) should have a large responsibility for paying for the costs of long-term care, and about half think the same about Medicaid (53%).

Also, majorities of Black and Hispanic adults are very or extremely concerned about having access to high-quality health care when they need it. Read the press release and article.

California’s 2022-23 enacted budget addresses longstanding system challenges for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers. Read our fact sheet to learn about key investments, including the continued investment for implementing the Master Plan for Aging.

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.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) included one-time funding for states to expand and enhance home and community-based services (HCBS) including modernizing infrastructure and expanding benefits. ADvancing States released two related papers on ARPA initiatives: one on increasing wages and career opportunities for direct service workers and another on expanding access to enabling technology.

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.

UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program shares the challenges experienced by older adults living in community and encourages dialogue around potential solutions. In a video published by The San Francisco Standard, the reporter examines the affordable housing crisis in the Bay Area.

Purchaser Business Group on Health, in partnership with the Integrated Health Care Association, evaluated provider performance across several risk types using a variety of clinical person-centered measures. They discovered “full risk” provider groups, those with more flexibility in population management, slightly outperform those provider groups with “partial risk” in achieving person-centered care.

The Center for Health Care Strategies is seeking states to participate in the Medicare Academy: Capacity-Building for Advancing Medicare-Medicaid Integration. The 10-month training program is designed to help Medicaid staff build the Medicare knowledge needed to successfully advance integration efforts. Applications are due September 9.

The California Advocacy Network is a statewide movement involving nearly 1,000 organizations who serve more than 95 percent of California’s population. We’ve updated the profiles for each Regional Coalition to reflect their efforts to advance health care and supportive services, as well as support the Master Plan for Aging at the community level.

We partner with UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting Program to build awareness on aging and elevate how a variety of issues affect the lives of older adults. A recent Inside Climate News feature shares how a pilot program in California is helping communities with older adults prepare for wildfires and other climate disasters by training in-home caregivers.

Hear about the experience and impact of complex care directly from individuals, providers, and payers in videos developed by The National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs and Center for Health Care Strategies. Also, learn how to talk about complex care through a related messaging guide and recorded webinar.

Together Medicare and Medicaid have the potential to enhance the care experience, improve outcomes, and reduce costs. The Center for Health Care Strategies’ resource center can help states grow their knowledge base for advancing Medicare-Medicaid integration.

Read the latest brief from ATI Advisory and Long-Term Quality Alliance (LTQA) outlining their top three recommendations to Congress for advancing Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) in Medicare Advantage.

Access the full report, watch the related briefing, and review the data brief detailing the growth in nonmedical benefits.

A Master Plan for Aging (MPA) lays out a roadmap to help states transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for their aging populations and people with disabilities. A new tool from the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) outlines tenets essential to successful MPA development and shares examples of best practices. Learn about the unexpected benefits of an MPA and how to get started.

As nonmedical supplemental benefits in Medicare Advantage (MA) become more widely available, now is an important time to reflect on whether we are meeting the promise of the CHRONIC Care Act. Watch the recording of a recent briefing and remarks from Senator Warren.

Read a related report outlining policy recommendations for Congress to advance the Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill in MA plans.

A new report from Long-Term Quality Alliance and ATI Advisory outlines policy recommendations for Congress to advance the Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) in Medicare Advantage (MA). Based on early research tracking the initial implementation and progress of these benefits, recommendations include modifying SSBCI eligibility criteria, incentivizing plans to report SSBCI utilization, and carefully evaluating efforts.

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.

High costs and an aging population are driving the U.S. health care system to innovate. Watch a recent webinar where our President and CEO Sarita A. Mohanty joined a panel of experts to discuss value-based care and reshaping how the nation delivers health care.

A related Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging report identifies ways technology can support health- and home-care solutions.

Addressing social needs can improve health outcomes and facilitate better use of health care services. Read recent issue briefs from the Institute for Accountable Care identifying key considerations for accountable care organizations (ACOs) to help people access social service resources by using needs assessments and developing partnerships with community-based organizations.

Join Long-Term Quality Alliance and ATI Advisory on May 17 for a virtual briefing on the future of nonmedical supplemental benefits in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Featuring new policy recommendations for Congress, this briefing will serve as an important public gathering of influential stakeholders from within long-term care. Register for the event!