NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA. — Keystone First Community HealthChoices – a Blue Cross Medical Assistance (Medicaid) plan for Community HealthChoices participants in southeastern Pennsylvania – is working with Benefits Data Trust (BDT), a national non-profit organization, on a special initiative to help Community HealthChoices participants apply for financial assistance to pay for nutritious food that can improve health.
Philadelphia-based BDT leverages data and technology to help eligible people access essential benefits and services, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). BDT will help address food insecurity and other social determinants of health for the health plan’s participants in Pennsylvania’s Community HealthChoices program.
Community HealthChoices serves Pennsylvanians ages 21 and older who are eligible for Medicaid and Medicare or qualify to receive Long-Term Services and Support.
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, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine.[1]
BDT will reach out to Community HealthChoices participants who are likely eligible for public assistance, inviting them to call the Pennsylvania Benefits Center, operated by BDT. Specialists at the Pennsylvania Benefits Center will assist participants over the phone to screen them for eligibility for up to 19 public benefit programs. The BDT specialists submit applications and referrals on behalf of the plan participants, streamlining their experience by connecting them to multiple public benefit programs simultaneously.
BDT specialists are also equipped to help plan participants identify deductions and expenses that enable households to access the most accurate maximum SNAP benefit for which they are eligible.
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. Koehn said the impact of social determinants on health outcomes encouraged Keystone First to consider a new approach to connecting people to much-needed resources, like SNAP.
“Because the income eligibility requirements for Medicaid and SNAP are comparable, we know that a higher percentage of our Community HealthChoices participants could be receiving SNAP and other benefits,” he said.
In addition to SNAP, BDT specialists will assist people in accessing the Senior Food Box Program, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Heating Assistance (LIHEAP) in the fall and winter months, Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR), Child Care Works subsidized childcare program and other programs.
“Inflation has increased the cost of not only food; but also rent, heating, and transportation. All of this can limit access to healthy food for many Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries,” Koehn said. “Connecting our Community HealthChoices participants with resources to help them afford healthy food is key to achieving positive health outcomes.”
The new initiative builds on a collaboration that began in November with Keystone First Community HealthChoices, two sister HealthChoices Medicaid health plans.
“Health plan providers can play a key role in helping people connect to other assistance programs that can have an enormous impact on their overall health and well-being,” said Trooper Sanders, CEO of Benefits Data Trust. “We are proud to evolve our work with Keystone First [Community HealthChoices] to incorporate new methods of outreach and application assistance so we can help more of their eligible participants access resources for nutrition and other necessities.”
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. Keystone First Community HealthChoices is mission-driven and dedicated to helping members 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 Benefits Data Trust
Benefits Data Trust (BDT) improves health and financial security by harnessing the power of data, technology, and policy to provide dignified and equitable access to assistance. Together with a national network of government agencies and partners, we efficiently connect people today to programs that pay for food, healthcare, and more while helping to modernize benefits access for tomorrow. A non-profit since 2005, BDT has secured more than $10 billion in benefits for households across the country, helping to reduce hunger and poverty and build pathways to economic mobility. Learn more at bdtrust.org.
