Senior Agenda Coalition
Senior Agenda Coalition
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    • Home
    • Become a Member
    • Mission & Work
    • Press Room
    • Previous Events
      • PAST LEGISLATIVE FORUMS
      • PAST CONFERENCES
    • Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Legislative Library
    • Voices for Better Health
  • Home
  • Become a Member
  • Mission & Work
  • Press Room
  • Previous Events
    • PAST LEGISLATIVE FORUMS
    • PAST CONFERENCES
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • Legislative Library
  • Voices for Better Health

About Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island

Our Mission


The Senior Agenda Coalition is an independent and diverse coalition of agency and individual members. Our mission is to mobilize people to implement an agenda that improves the quality of life of older Rhode Islanders and adults with disabilities. We accomplish this through community organizing, public education, advocacy, and  legislative action. 



    


Our History


Founded in 2002 as a program of the Gray Panthers of Rhode Island, the Senior Agenda Coalition has been a leading organization for seniors in Rhode Island . The Coalition prioritizes issues that help older Rhode Islanders maintain choice and dignity in their living and social environments. It is a voice for the protection and promotion of public and private programs that protect seniors' quality of life. 


    


Our Work


The Coalition's research and public education efforts have helped win a number of victories for seniors, including increased funding for home and community-based care programs, support for senior centers, a wrap-around prescription drug program to help seniors on Medicare Part D, and improvements for public transportation. 


    


Our Strength


One of the Coalition's greatest strengths is our ability to engage our coalition members in our mission and work collaboratively with other organizations. Our intent and core purpose is to create and sustain this collaborative effort. The Senior Agenda Coalition conducts ongoing research on local and nationwide "best practices and policies" in senior-specific topics such as long term care.  


Our Focus on Policy Change


The Coalition monitors federal and particularly state legislation affecting seniors. Our members attend hearings, provide testimony, and attend meetings to educate legislators about our views on legislation that directly affects them. We also monitor the implementation of legislation and work with state agencies on the development of regulations relevant to senior programs.


    


Voices for Better Health Voices for Better Health (VBH) is a collaboration working to improve the health and economic security of older adults in Rhode Island.

Voices for Better Health (VBH) - History

Early Beginnings

Voices for Better Health started in 2013 when five states (Michigan, New York, Ohio, Washington, and Rhode Island) pursued a federal demonstration initiative to address older adults eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.  Community Catalyst, a national non-profit advocacy organization working to build and transform the American health system, funded and helped to start Voices for Better Health. 

Dual-eligible Medicare-Medicaid recipients

 Dual-eligible Medicare-Medicaid recipients are some of the poorest and most vulnerable residents in Rhode Island and suffer from high levels of chronic health conditions compared to the general population.  Ineffective care coordination between the Medicare and Medicaid programs had led to poor care and high costs for this population. 

Integrated Care Initiative (ICI)

In Rhode Island, the (ICI) was developed to align financing and care delivery. To ensure that the voices of impacted consumers were heard in the design, promotion and ongoing implementation of the ICI, VBH collaborating partners led an effort to establish a Consumer ICI Implementation Advisory Council.  This Council was  composed of and governed by ICI consumers who met monthly to receive data reports on enrollment and disenrollment, call center metrics, complaints and other issues impacting the dual-eligible population such as transportation and benefit programs. 


 The ICI has a nine-year history of working to improve the health care outcomes of enrolled dual-eligible Medicare-Medicaid recipients and the Consumer Advisory Implementation Council has been instrumental in its success at providing consumer-centric care..

ICI Today

 The ICI, a temporary demonstration program of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS),  is scheduled to end in Rhode Island at the end of December 2025.  CMS is transitioning to a new healthcare program for this population - Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (called D-SNPs).  A feature of the new integrated program is that long-term services and supports (LTSS) will be an in-plan benefit for all populations through a comprehensive Medicaid managed care plan with Managed LTSS (MLTSS).  A procurement process took place for interested healthcare insurers to submit proposals and responses to the RFP’s are under review.  The continued advocacy work of VBH will be critical for consumers during the transition to the new D-SNP program.  

2024 VBH Advocacy and Legislative Agenda

1. Research

Provide research and information to members of legislature on issues and policies concerning older adults to help craft bills.

2. Provide testimony

 Provide testimony on legislation that would have positive impact on older adults, especially low-income and marginalized groups.

3. Monitor Integrated Care Initiative (ICS)

 Monitor the state Integrated Care Initiative (ICS) as it is being sunsetted and development of new managed care program for duals (D-SNP) to ensure the consumer voice is heard in roll out of the new program. 

4. Medicaid Eligibility Equity

 Lead effort to advocate to address inequity in Medicaid eligibility for persons age 65 and over and older adults with disabilities.

5. Transportation

Monitor the Non-Emergency Medicaid Transportation Program (NEMT) and Elderly Transportation (ET) metrics on usage and complaint investigations and recommend needed system improvements or service expansion.


 Advocate for adequate state funding for public transportation for older persons and persons with disabilities including the Free/Reduced bus programs.

6. Temporary Caregiver Insurance

Lead effort to expand the Temporary Caregiver Insurance program to assist family caregivers. 

7. Community Advocacy & Education

Promote and engage community members in advocacy activities.


Provide public education and advocacy training to support policy issues and legislation important to older adults.  

2024 VBH Legislative Priorities

 

  • Promote programs to assist older adults to remain at home through increased funding for home and community-based services that will support livable wages for direct care staff.


  • Increase income eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program to help more older adults and persons with disabilities on Medicare by covering Medicare Premium costs and co-payments.


  • Increase state funding for local senior centers that address many social  determinants of health to reach a total of $10 per person age 65+ in each community.

Our Partners

https://sites.google.com/riorgproj.com/rhodeislandorganizingproject/riop
RI Organizing Project

Senior Agenda is planning for the future.

2020 - 2024 Strategic Plan

Download PDF

Coalition Members

A Community Together (ACT)

Aetna Medicare

Alzheimer's Association of RI

American Baptist Churches of RI Elder Care Ministries

Benjamin Church Senior Center

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of RI

Caldwell Realty, LLC

Carelink

Catholic Social Services of RI

City of Providence Senior Services

Delta Dental

Friends of Jamestown Seniors, Inc.

Funeral Consumers Alliance of RI

Hope Hospice & Palliative Care

Middletown Senior Center

Neighborhood Health Plan of RI

Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL)

RI Meals on Wheels

The Village Common of RI

United HealthCare

Westbay Community Action

West Warwick Senior Citizens Center



Copyright © 2024 Senior Agenda Coalition - All Rights Reserved.

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