Papa

The Surgeon General’s advisory shed light on a stark reality: 1 in 2 Americans experience some form of social isolation and/or loneliness. The advisory sparked conversation and action across the country, but how do we keep the momentum going? In this special #GlobalLonelinessAwarenessWeek episode of Unpacked with Papa, we sat down with Edward Garcia to explore the current state of social isolation and loneliness policy development. Board Vice-Chair of The Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness (CESIL) and Founder and Board Chair of The Foundation for Social Connection , Eddie has a wealth of experience and expertise in health and social policy development and advocacy. In his conversation with Kelsey McNamara, Eddie emphasizes the important role health plans can play in shaping policy and fostering community engagement: “We only think of payers as payers, but really they’re also anchor institutions in their communities and they work with anchor institutions as part of their provider and hospital networks. If we think of it in that way, they can be catalysts for change within communities. [Health plans] have tremendous convening power and can help to develop community-level strategies across the country.” Earlier this week, we had the honor of joining Eddie and the CESIL team on Capitol Hill, where we spoke directly with policymakers about the need to address social isolation and loneliness and identify ways we can work together to advance meaningful action. Discussions like these are crucial in driving forward real change to improve our country’s social health. 📺 Watch the episode now to keep the conversation going: https://bit.ly/4bbdZLa #UnpackedWithPapa

“As Medicare Advantage organizations face rising health care costs, slimmer margins and mounting regulatory pressures, they need to to show value for every dollar spent,” Kelsey McNamara, our head of research and impact, shares with Andrew Donlan of Home Health Care News. “And with CMS’ ramp up of supplemental benefit scrutiny and data collection, there’s heightened interest in solutions that reduce costs, improve utilization and help members seek and remain in lower-acuity care settings for longer. Today’s results affirm Papa’s ability to do just this.” Click the link below to learn more about our latest impact data showing favorable changes in healthcare utilization among #Papa members, including: 🏠 A 6% increase in home health services 📉 A 22% reduction in skilled nursing facility use 🏥 An 18% reduction in inpatient hospital admissions after participating in the program 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ePDbNSyV

We at Papa have always said it’s critical to address loneliness more like an illness, identifying risk factors and offering interventions at all levels, before conditions worsen. That’s why we were so pleased to see #RebeccaMullen, Sebastian Tong, Hillary Lum, Kari A. Stephens, and #AlexKrist expand on the framework offered in the Surgeon General’s Advisory last year, underscoring the critical role primary care can play in identifying and addressing social isolation and loneliness. Their guidance in the Annals of Family Medicine includes administering social isolation and loneliness assessments during major life transitions, making referrals to community-based organizations and other social activities to improve connections, and discussing loneliness and social isolation in conversations about preventative care and chronic disease management. Our research underscores the strong connection between loneliness and chronic conditions, with data revealing that members experiencing high levels of loneliness have higher instances of many chronic conditions like heart disease, cognitive disorders, and depression. By treating loneliness like an illness and and providing interventions at all levels, including prevention, we can significantly improve health outcomes. Learn more below. ⬇️ 💡 https://lnkd.in/esg5baka 💡 https://lnkd.in/e-5sgxAv

With loneliness on the rise and so many lacking social support, the imperative to foster connection has never been more pressing. This week, we’re delving into the role of social connection as a catalyst for public health, civic engagement, and the development of resilient communities that promote the well-being of all individuals at the 2024 Global Loneliness Awareness Summit, hosted by The Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Following the summit, we’re headed to Capitol Hill to speak directly with policymakers about the need to address social isolation and loneliness and advocate for meaningful action. 🔗 Register for the 2024 Global Loneliness Awareness Summit virtual livestream, taking place today at 1:30 PM ET ⬇ https://lnkd.in/g8aTFJJP  #GLAW #GLAW2024 #GlobalLonelinessAwarenessWeek

We’re gearing up for #AHIP2024, ready to dive into the strategies and solutions shaping the future of health care. 🚀 Meet with us onsite to discover how #Papa is advancing health plans’ top priorities around costs, healthcare utilization, and Star Ratings, one connection at a time. Book time with us here ➡ https://lnkd.in/e56HExsw

At Papa, our mission is to provide companionship and social support to older adults and underserved populations exactly when, where, and how they need it most. Since our founding, we’ve been dedicated to building a robust body of evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach. 📈 The results speak for themselves: the greater the need, the greater the impact on both members and their health plans. Our work has shown that meaningful companionship can significantly improve the quality of life and health outcomes for those we serve. We’re proud to share our findings and show how #Papa is making a difference. Learn more about our data results at the link here: https://bit.ly/3KkAC4H

As Medicare Advantage plans navigate major regulatory changes from #CMS and tighter margins, reducing costs and enhancing Star Ratings are more critical than ever. At this week’s Medicare Stars, HEDIS, Quality & Risk forum, Madeline Hirsch, our Director of Client Operations and a population health expert, will take the stage to share proven strategies you can apply to meet evolving CMS requirements, close care gaps, and improve Star Ratings. 🌟 Don’t miss out on this opportunity to gain actionable insights backed by compelling case studies, real-world data, and real-life member experiences. If you’d like to learn more about how these strategies can impact your population and priorities, schedule a meeting with our team onsite via the link below. ⬇️ 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eQ9VMRMC 📅 Wednesday, June 5th: 4:00 pm

Exciting news! Our film, “Unseen Connection”, has been chosen as an Official Selection for Season 8 of #ProjectUnLonely Films! 🎉 Presented by The Foundation for Art & Healing , Project UnLonely Films showcases a collection of short films centered around loneliness and social connection. Join us for the Season 8 virtual launch event featuring actor and director Steve Buscemi, filmmaking luminary Mike Paseornek, host Jeremy Nobel, and other special guests. Let’s celebrate the power of film to engage, inspire, empower and connect! 🍿 ✨ All are welcome! Register now at PUF8.eventbrite.com. ⏰ June 2nd: 7 PM ET

Companion care can play a critical role in health plans’ strategies to improve their members’ outcomes, while reducing costs—a fact supported by our ongoing research. As we advance into Phase 2 of Papa, we are committed to continuously validating that having a #PapaPal not only engages and delights members, but contributes to better health outcomes, lower medical costs, and improved Star Ratings. 🌟 Through our new programs tailored to address these specific goals, we’re working closely with our plan partners to identify and support the highest priority areas that a Papa Pal in the home can meaningfully impact, from advancing more successful connections to community resources to boosting preventive screenings and in-home assessments to getting more members to engage with their care online. As Andrew Parker shared with Noah Tong, “Plans care about three things: Lowering costs, keeping members happy and healthy, and retaining their members. We’ve proven that we can do all three.” 🚀 We take great pride in our health plan partnerships that cultivate a healthier and happier member community and demonstrate how companion care and cost reduction can go hand in hand. Learn more about Papa’s growth and impact in Fierce Healthcare here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gVb8F8Je

📍 Bethesda, we’ve arrived! We’re here at the CMS Health Equity Conference sharing data on disparities in social connection and support among Medicare Advantage sub-populations. Don’t miss our poster presentation tomorrow, where we’ll dive deeper into this topic and discuss ways to bridge the gaps. 💡Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gTRAC4RK #HealthEquityCon24 #CMS #HealthEquity