IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES: ROLE OF PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND HEALTH CARE ENTITIES

Abstract

Adding to the growing body of scholarship on the social determinants of health for older adults, recent gerontology and health policy literature provides mounting evidence for the logic and beneficial impacts of partnerships between community-based organizations (CBOs) such as Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and health care entities (such as hospitals and managed care organizations). Previous empirical studies have established that nutrition services, supportive housing, and AAA partnerships with health care entities are associated with improved individual and community-level health care outcomes and expenditures. This paper presents the first national description of the extent, type, and evolution of CBO engagement with health care providers. Based on a 2017 national survey of AAAs and CILs (with response rates of 56% and 38% respectively), 38% of these organizations currently have contracts with a health care entity, and another 16.5% are pursuing a contract. The most common contracting partnership was with a Medicaid managed care organization. Payment models are variable; they include fee-for-service, per-service-unit, and per-member-per-month. Among the CBOs not yet involved with health care partners, 40% are interested but need more guidance before moving forward. This presentation will: describe details of the services delivered, contracting arrangements, and populations served under CBO/health care contracts; provide a case study of a successful partnership; and briefly describe the resources of the national Aging and Disability Business Institute established to foster such collaborations.