The new agreement will create new opportunities for eligible residents on the South Coast to access CCA’s nationally recognized care model and Southcoast Health’s expert provider network
BOSTON and NEW BEDFORD, MA – October 28, 2021 – Commonwealth Care Alliance® (CCA), an integrated care system serving nearly 42,000 individuals that has earned national recognition for its proven expertise in complex care coordination and delivery, and Southcoast® Health, the largest provider of primary and specialty care serving communities across Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, today announced a provider agreement that will provide CCA’s members with access to over 700 providers at Southcoast’s primary care practices and three hospitals in Fall River, New Bedford and Wareham.
“By collaborating with mission-aligned organizations and expanding the reach of our care model, CCA is creating more choice in healthcare for individuals with significant needs who have traditionally been offered extremely limited options,” said Christopher D. Palmieri, President and CEO of Commonwealth Care Alliance. “We are proud to add Southcoast Health to our robust provider network as we work to close critical gaps in care for individuals with unmet medical, behavioral health and social needs by integrating environmental and community supports with their local healthcare system.”
“Our new relationship with Commonwealth Care Alliance will help us further fulfill our mission of providing access to exceptional care and service for all of our patients, including our most vulnerable,” said Keith Hovan, President & CEO of Southcoast Health. “This is an important step in expanding choices—and opportunities—for exceptional care close to home for dual-eligible individuals in our community living with medical, behavioral health and social challenges.”
CCA currently offers two health plans in Massachusetts: CCA One Care, the largest plan of its kind in the state and one of the fastest growing plans of its kind in the country, is a Massachusetts demonstration Medicare-Medicaid Plan (MMP) for individuals between 21 and 64 who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. CCA Senior Care Options (SCO), rated five stars by CMS, is an HMO Special Needs Plan for people who are 65 and older and eligible for Medicaid. These dually eligible Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries qualify as high-need based on income or health status, and often live with multiple chronic conditions, physical or behavioral health disabilities, severe mental illness, and social determinants of health (SDOH) needs, including food and housing insecurity.
To complement its existing Massachusetts product offerings, CCA is also adding two new Medicare Advantage plans to the market, designed for people with significant needs who narrowly miss Medicaid income or asset thresholds.
CCA will also expand beyond Massachusetts for the first time, offering Medicare Advantage plans in Rhode Island. These new plans will be designed to meet the needs of individuals who often live with chronic conditions and face multiple social or medical needs. Members of CCA Rhode Island’s Medicare Advantage and Dual Eligible Special Needs plans will also have access to the Southcoast Health providers delivering care in Rhode Island.
“As providers, our top priority is to treat patients with the personal, high-quality care they deserve in an environment where they feel valued and supported. I am excited for the opportunities that this new agreement between Southcoast and CCA will bring, and know that access to community-based care can be invaluable for those living with significant health challenges,” said Dr. Jay Lawrence, Senior Vice President, Chief Transformation and Innovation Officer, and Physician in Chief for Primary Care at Southcoast Health.
“Strong provider relationships play a tremendous role in CCA’s commitment to an exceptional patient experience and improved clinical outcomes,” said Dr. Robert MacArthur, Chief Medical Officer at Commonwealth Care Alliance. “Through innovation and coordination, people with significant needs in Massachusetts and Rhode Island now have expanded opportunities to access the high-quality, individualized care they deserve.”
There are nearly 150,000 individuals eligible for one of CCA’S plans in the southeastern Massachusetts region. Individuals on the South Coast interested in learning more about CCA can visit https://www.commonwealthcarealliance.org/.
About Commonwealth Care Alliance
Commonwealth Care Alliance® (CCA) is an integrated care system that has earned national recognition for its proven expertise in complex care coordination and delivery through a focus on sustainable and evidence-based breakthroughs. A not-for-profit, community-based payer and provider serving individuals with significant health needs, CCA’s uncommon care® model is proven effective in addressing unmet social determinants of health, behavioral health and medical needs. Mission-based and person-centered, CCA has emerged in recent years as a national leader in innovating care for complex populations. For five consecutive years*, CCA One Care, the fastest growing Medicare-Medicaid Plan (MMP) of its kind in the country, earned a top overall experience rating from consumers; in 2020, CCA earned 93%, and CMS rated CCA Senior Care Options 5 out of 5 stars for 2022.
CCA is committed to fostering an inclusive environment, and their efforts have been highlighted by The Boston Globe. In 2020, CCA was recognized in The Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work rankings, and was later ranked first for The Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work: Diversity Edition, which is based on the company’s dedication to making the workplace more diverse and equitable. Learn more about CCA’s pioneering healthcare solutions and validated care model at http://www.commonwealthcarealliance.org/ or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
*Based on the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) surveys.
About Southcoast Health
Celebrating the system’s 25th anniversary in 2021-22, Southcoast Health is a not-for-profit, charitable organization and the largest provider of primary and specialty care in the region, serving communities in Rhode Island and across Southeastern Massachusetts. Southcoast Health is a Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospital in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Out of the 2,743 considered hospitals in the United States, only 250 earned this recognition. In 2020 and 2021, Southcoast Health’s St. Luke’s Hospital is a Newsweek and Leapfrog’s Best Maternity Hospitals. In 2019 and 2020, the Southcoast Health system also received seven awards, including Best Hospitals and Best Place to Work, in Southcoast Media Group’s Best of the Best Awards voted on by residents and readers.
As a network of more than 700 physicians, hospitalists, and mid-level practitioners, Southcoast Health is a system of three acute care hospitals — Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, and Tobey Hospital in Wareham, and also provides behavioral health services with Acadia at Southcoast Behavioral Health in Dartmouth. In addition to its hospitals, Southcoast Health System comprises seven Urgent Care Centers, two Centers for Cancer Care, a visiting nurse association, and numerous additional ambulatory facilities that offer convenience and access to services for more than 724,000 residents in 33 communities covering over 900 square miles in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
With 7,500 employees, Southcoast Health is the largest employer in Southeastern Massachusetts, and one of the largest employers in the Commonwealth, according to the Boston Business Journal. Southcoast Health is proud of our mission of providing high-quality, affordable healthcare to our patients and proud of our tradition of eliminating the barriers that prevent access to care. More information is available online at www.southcoast.org. Connect to Southcoast Health through social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Southcoast® is a registered trademark of Southcoast Health System.