Commonwealth Care Alliance

A recent report from The Greater Boston Food Bank found that in 2023, over a third of households in Massachusetts reported facing food insecurity. Access to nutritious food is essential to staying healthy, but this can be particularly challenging for those with significant needs. If left unaddressed, food insecurity and poor diet can lead to chronic illnesses like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. At CCA, our Community Health Workers (CHWs) utilize a comprehensive person-centered approach to fully address the social factors that impact someone’s care. Along with assisting with matters like housing needs and transportation, CCA’s CHWs support individuals struggling to access nutritious foods. They are embedded directly into our care teams and work with our clinicians to help members meet their nutritional needs and navigate government programs to break down silos and access the right benefits and resources. As trusted parts of the care team, CHWs are pivotal to our mission of delivering better health outcomes. By integrating food and healthcare, we can improve the health and wellbeing of residents across Massachusetts. Read the report: https://lnkd.in/ekTWZZMm #FoodIsMedicine #HealthEquity

Chris Palmieri, CCA President and CEO, is the latest guest on the HealthLeaders podcast! Chris joined host and HealthLeaders Innovation Editor Eric Wicklund, for a conversation around the current and future healthcare innovation landscape. During the episode, they highlighted the role private capital can play in supporting these ventures and how innovative new platforms and tools can improve not only the health and well-being of individuals, but also the overall member experience. Listen to the episode: https://lnkd.in/grCThSMC

CCA was named one of 20 payers nationwide to receive a top score of 100 on the 2024 Disability Equality Index! We are proud to be recognized for our Individuals with Disabilities & Allies Diversity Network, supplier diversity program, inclusive hiring practices, and a company culture that supports employees with disabilities and leadership commitment to both internal and community-based engagement and education. https://lnkd.in/e6wERJuY

CCA is committed to providing our members with whole-person care that addresses their physical, social, and behavioral health needs. We rely on input from our members to deliver on our promise to provide the care and services they need to live safely and independently at home and in their communities. Thank you to CMS for allowing CCA to provide insights on how our enrollee advisory committees were implemented, lessons we have learned, and challenges that have been faced. We look forward to continuing to partner with our members to provide innovative health plans and care delivery programs. https://lnkd.in/eFB4zjvp

Thank you, Dr. Ben Haseen, for joining us for our Diversity Speaks fireside chat series this week! The discussion focused on unique healthcare challenges and disparities faced by the LGBTQ population, ways to foster inclusivity in healthcare settings, and normalizing sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) discussions with LGBTQ patients. Thank you to our Clinical Education and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion teams for hosting this conversation!

CCA has been named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion with a score of 100 on the 2024 Disability Equality Index® (DEI) by the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability:IN! “Our commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and a culture of excellence internally helps us build a workforce that reflects the people we serve and drives CCA’s mission of supporting our members and patients with empathy, care, and understanding. We are honored to receive this recognition for our efforts to create a more inclusive workplace for colleagues with diverse abilities, whose valued perspectives and skills contribute to our organization and model of care each day,” says Chris Palmieri, CCA President and CEO. Thank you to all our CCA employees who contribute to ensuring a more inclusive working environment that better meets the needs of all! #DEI24 https://lnkd.in/etCNxqHN

CCA has been named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion with a score of 100 on the 2024 Disability Equality Index® (DEI) by the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability:IN! “Our commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and a culture of excellence internally helps us build a workforce that reflects the people we serve and drives CCA’s mission of supporting our members and patients with empathy, care, and understanding. We are honored to receive this recognition for our efforts to create a more inclusive workplace for colleagues with diverse abilities, whose valued perspectives and skills contribute to our organization and model of care each day,” says Chris Palmieri, CCA President and CEO. Thank you to all our CCA employees who contribute to ensuring a more inclusive working environment that better meets the needs of all! #DEI24 https://lnkd.in/etCNxqHN

CCA has expanded its provider agreement with South Shore Health to include its Senior Care Options (SCO) network. CCA SCO members will now benefit from the services of over 200 providers, including 50 primary care physicians, from across the South Shore and Southeastern Massachusetts. “Broadening this agreement to include access for our SCO members will allow CCA to further support the medical, social, and behavioral health needs of patients across Southeastern Massachusetts. Ensuring access to high-quality care is a top priority for CCA and we are thrilled that more CCA members will now be able to receive advanced, connected, high-quality care at South Shore Health locations,” says Mark Waggoner, General Manager, CCA Massachusetts. Read the press release for more information on this partnership: https://lnkd.in/emBNJyXs

This Fourth of July, as we commemorate America’s independence, we want to highlight one of our members who was able to fulfill his own American dream with the support of one of CCA’s Community Health Workers, Maria. Oscar is a Senior Care Options member who immigrated from Peru years ago. He speaks Spanish and is living with a cancer diagnosis while also supporting his adult daughter with autism. In addition to supporting Oscar as he navigates treatment for his cancer, Maria also connected him to the Center for New Americans, a community organization based in western Massachusetts. Thanks to both the Center for New Americans assistance and Maria’s consistent support, Oscar’s immigration papers were processed, and he was sworn in as a US Citizen on May 7. Maria was there to witness this inspiring event and extend her heartfelt congratulations. Thank you, Maria, for going above and beyond for our members, and congratulations to Oscar on this milestone!

Many people inaccurately equate palliative care with hospice and end of life. They also assume that receiving palliative care will deny them access to treatments for serious illnesses. To explore this further, the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) released a report in partnership with ATI Advisory titled, “Opportunities for Improving Access to Palliative Care for Dual Eligible Individuals with Serious Illness.” The report highlights barriers dual eligible individuals often experience when accessing palliative care and opportunities for CMS, state Medicaid agencies, and D-SNPs to promote access to palliative care for dual eligible individuals. Thank you to the CCA team who contributed to this report by providing insights around working with dual eligible individuals with serious illnesses and operational insights into our palliative care program. Read the report: https://lnkd.in/eWF3Uw3r