LifeLong Medical Care is receiving a CMS Health Care Innovation Award to further integrate care and encourage healthy behavior among 3250 seniors and other adults with disabilities who are Medicaid and dual Medicare/Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries. The goal is to reduce avoidable emergency room and hospital visits. The intervention will train adults with disabilities to support adoption of healthy behaviors among their peers and to encourage self management, with the support of a team of nurse care managers. Improved care and better health for these high risk patients will lower costs with estimated savings of approximately $1 million. Over the three-year period, LifeLong Medical Care’s program will train an estimated 60 health care workers, while creating an estimated 60 new jobs. These workers will include peer health coaches and nurse care managers who will facilitate integrated care for seniors and for low-income adults with disabilities. LifeLong will partner with Berkeley’s Center for Independent Living and the Alameda Alliance for Health to achieve program goals.
