Keystone First Community HealthChoices Launches Pilot Program to Enhance Nutrition Program Access for Older Adults
Application process for public benefits programs to address food insecurity and other needs
February 15, 2024 - Newtown Square, Pa.
Keystone First Community HealthChoices, a Medical Assistance (Medicaid) plan for Community HealthChoices (CHC) participants in southeastern Pennsylvania, is teaming up with USAging and the Bucks County Area Agency on Aging (BCAAA) on a special pilot program to help Community HealthChoices participants apply for financial assistance to pay for nutritious food that could help improve their health.
Through the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) are funding the pilot program, which will focus on increasing health plan member awareness of the available public benefits and how to enroll in programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) and Medicare Low-Income Subsidy Programs (LIS).
The lack of awareness is a main reason many people who are eligible for certain public benefits don’t actually receive them. For example, according to NCOA, nearly three out of five seniors—an estimated five million people—who qualify to receive SNAP are missing out on nutrition support. For low-income older adults, the average annual benefit of $1,416 could mean the difference between having food and going without.[i]
Keystone First Community HealthChoices will inform eligible participants in Bucks County about the program and BCAAA will help them apply for the available benefits and services. With funding from the pilot program, BCAAA will have resources to help even more low-income adults access these critical benefits. Community HealthChoices (CHC) serves Pennsylvanians aged 21 and older who are eligible for Medicaid and Medicare and qualify to receive Long-Term Services and Supports.
John Koehn, Vice President of the Medicaid managed care organization’s Community HealthChoices program, said plan participants have significant care needs due to a high prevalence of chronic conditions and disabilities, which often include special diets and nutritional requirements that frequently go unattended due to costs. “SNAP provides supplemental funds that allow many older adults the flexibility to stretch their budgets,” he said. “Money they would have spent on food can now be applied toward other critical needs.”
According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, SNAP participation in older adults has been linked to reductions in emergency department visits and hospital and nursing home admissions, leading to $2,360 in Medicaid savings per person per year.[ii]
“Our collaboration with Keystone First CHC on this pilot program will enable us to be more proactive in addressing food insecurity among our senior and older adult population in our county,” said BCAAA Director Kathy M. Bennett. “As the senior population continues to grow in size, food insecurity is likely to remain a public health challenge for years to come.”
The Food Research & Action Center states that poverty, food insecurity, and poor nutrition have harmful impacts on the health and well-being of older adults, which, in turn, can limit their ability to work, carry out daily activities, and live independently.[iii]
“Many older adults on a limited income have difficulty affording nutritious food for their entire family,” said USAging’s CEO Sandy Markwood. “We are confident that this pilot program will help more older adults access critical resources to support their nutritional, financial and other essential needs, which, in turn, promotes healthy aging and the ability to age well at home and in the community.”
About Keystone First Community HealthChoices
Keystone First Community HealthChoices is a Medical Assistance (Medicaid) managed care health product for Pennsylvania’s Community HealthChoices program offered by Vista Health Plan, Inc., an affiliate of Independence Blue Cross, in five southeastern Pennsylvania counties. Here at Keystone First Community HealthChoices, we are mission-driven and dedicated to helping participants get care, stay well and build healthy communities. For more information, visit www.keystonefirstchc.com.
Independence Blue Cross and Vista Health Plan, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
About Bucks County Area Agency on Aging
The mission of the Bucks County Area Agency on Aging is to develop, coordinate and promote a continuum of quality services that supports, respects, and advocates for older adults and their families; empowers them to maintain independence and dignity; and enhances their overall well-being. To learn more about their services, please visit https://buckscounty.gov/231/Aging [buckscounty.gov].
About USAging
USAging is the national association representing and supporting the network of Area Agencies on Aging and advocating for the Title VI Native American Aging Programs. Our members help older adults and people with disabilities throughout the United States live with optimal health, well-being, independence and dignity in their homes and communities. USAging is the home of the Aging and Disability Business Institute which provides aging and disability community-based organizations (CBOs) and networks with the tools to successfully adapt to a changing health care environment, enhance their organizational capacity and capitalize on new opportunities to contract with health care entities and diversify their funding. For more information, visit usaging.org and follow @theUSAging on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
[i] What Is SNAP and How Do I Apply? https://www.ncoa.org/article/what-is-snap-and-how-do-i-apply
[ii] SNAP Participation and Healthcare Use in Older Adults: A Cohort Study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8893035/#:~:text=SNAP%20enrollment%20was%20associated%20with,admissions%20per%201000%20person%2Dyears.
[iii] Hunger is a Health Issue for Older Adults: Food Security, Health, and the Federal Nutrition Programs. https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/hunger-is-a-health-issue-for-older-adults-1.pdf