Building Tomorrow’s Care Network: How Medicare Advantage and Area Agencies on Aging Are Transforming Services for Older Americans
Sixty years ago, Medicare and the Older Americans Act promised to revolutionize care for older adults in America. This week, as we celebrate these landmark achievements, a new chapter is being written through innovative partnerships that are expanding access to comprehensive, community-based care.
At this year’s USAging – Answers on Aging conference, Better Medicare Alliance was proud to join more than 1,400 leaders from Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), community-based organizations, and policymakers who share a common goal: building a healthier, more connected future for America’s aging population.
The Power of Partnership in Action
The conference put a spotlight on an increasingly vital collaboration: the partnership between Medicare Advantage organizations and Area Agencies on Aging.
In a joint conference session hosted by BMA and USAging, three leaders shared how these partnerships are already transforming care delivery:
- Dr. Terry Offenberger, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Medicare at Aetna, offered a health plan’s perspective on the beneficiary data and local approaches used to design benefits that meet community needs.
- Abigail Morgan, President & CEO of Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities, shared first-hand insights and compelling examples of how her agency partners with Medicare Advantage plans to bridge the gap between health care and social care.
- Jonathan Wolfe, BMA’s Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, emphasized how Medicare Advantage’s flexibility and focus on whole-person care makes it a strong fit for collaboration with AAAs—and how BMA works to support those relationships across the country.
Why These Partnerships Matter Now More Than Ever
With more than half of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage, these partnerships have never been more important. This growth brings both opportunity and responsibility – the opportunity to innovate and the responsibility to ensure innovation serves community needs.
That’s where AAAs come in. With trusted relationships and decades of local experience, AAAs are uniquely positioned to help plans reach beneficiaries and improve outcomes. From care coordination, to in-home care, to social supports, these organizations bring services and expertise that are essential parts of the Medicare Advantage ecosystem.
Going Forward
As we honor six decades of progress under Medicare and the Older Americans Act, we see a future where the aging services network and Medicare Advantage plans work hand in hand to deliver quality care that is socially connected, and community based.
Better Medicare Alliance believes the strongest solutions come from collaboration between health plans and providers, policymakers and community leaders, and organizations like USAging, Aetna, and Better Medicare Alliance. The partnerships showcased at this year’s USAging conference demonstrate that when we combine Medicare Advantage’s innovation with AAAs’ community expertise, we create something greater than the sum of its parts.