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n4a Comments Inform ACL Work to Help States Promote Integrated Care Efforts

This week n4a submitted comments in response to an ACL request for input in developing a framework to help state aging leaders better support partnerships across health care and social service organizations, including AAAs.

After soliciting feedback from a diverse set of aging and disability advocates and Aging Network stakeholders, n4a's comments urge ACL to ensure that a final roadmap to inform state activities include the following priorities:
 
  • Community-based organizations, including AAAs, must be key stakeholders in state efforts to expand integrated health activities from the outset;
  • States must recognize and respect the limited scope of their oversight roles as related to OAA programs and refrain from infringing on integrated care activities of AAAs outside of the OAA;
  • States and AAAs should be involved in any federal processes to develop guidance in developing acceptable firewalls that can mitigate conflict of interest concerns;
  • The framework should focus on helping states determine how they can convene stakeholders to foster interagency relationships and explore opportunities—such as providing start-up funding and data interoperability support—to help CBOs advance health care integration efforts; and
  • States should recognize and account for the broad swath of social determinants of health, including transportation, social isolation and other issues, in developing plans to advance health care and social services integration.
n4a's full comments are available online.

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