SOUTHWESTERN OHIO PACE COMMUNITY COALITION SELECTED TO DEVELOP NEW PACE PROGRAM IN CINCINNATI, OHIO

TriHealth, Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio, and Edenbridge Health Win Competitive Application Process to Deliver Comprehensive Healthcare to Frail Older Adults

February 20, 2024, Cincinnati, OH -- The Southwestern Ohio PACE Community Coalition (SOPCC) today announced it has been selected by the Ohio Department of Aging in a competitive review process to develop a PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) center in Hamilton County, Ohio. The coalition includes experienced healthcare and aging service providers TriHealth, Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio, and Edenbridge Health.

PACE is an innovative care model that provides comprehensive medical and social services to frail older adults who wish to remain at home rather than being placed in a nursing home. The state of Ohio is significantly expanding access to PACE by introducing new programs in nine counties. Previously, only one PACE program existed in the state. Assuming final Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approval, SOPCC aims to begin serving eligible Hamilton County residents in November 2025.

Together, the three SOPCC partners will leverage their unique capabilities and strong community partnerships to benefit PACE participants and the broader community. Edenbridge Health, which spearheaded the formation of the SOPCC and led the successful application, brings extensive geriatrics and operational expertise in standing up PACE centers in under-resourced, urban communities. With decades of collective PACE experience, its team has a deep understanding of the complex clinical, behavioral, and social needs of the PACE-eligible population.

TriHealth will help to establish a high quality and comprehensive provider network and operational capabilities for delivering the wide range of required PACE services. TriHealth is uniquely qualified to provide these services in Southwest Ohio, in partnership with other community providers. In addition to providing comprehensive home-based services and advanced illness programs, TriHealth has the region’s largest network of primary care providers with deep expertise in geriatric health, an Accountable Care Organization with more than 1,400 physicians across all specialties, and 13 conveniently located ambulatory center and five hospitals, should care outside the home be needed. And equally important, TriHealth has adopted innovative care and financing models aimed at improving access and quality, and overall health and affordability.

Council on Aging (COA), as the Area Agency on Aging for Hamilton and surrounding counties, is an expert at providing care management and service coordination services that help individuals manage complex medical and long-term care needs. With more than 50 years’ experience delivering home- and community-based long-term services and supports (LTSS), COA has a proven track record of developing and delivering innovative services that meet the unique LTSS needs of older adults. COA currently serves the population eligible for PACE through existing programs such as MyCare Ohio and manages an extensive network of LTSS providers. As a leader in the region’s Aging and Disability Resource Network, COA played an instrumental role in recommending SOPCC coalition members and will continue to play a critical role in building the network of providers that will deliver PACE services to frail older adults in the county.

“TriHealth’s vision and strategy are rooted in the Triple Aim of “better care and higher quality, better health, better value” and achieved by delivering the right care in the right setting for every patient – whether in a hospital, ambulatory setting or in the home,” said Mark C. Clement, President and CEO of TriHealth. “PACE is perfectly aligned with our work to Get Health Care Right because it clearly recognizes the importance of and rewards providers for caring for patients in the ‘right place,’ which is increasingly the outpatient and home setting where patients want to be cared for. TriHealth is thrilled to be part of this coalition to improve the well-being of older adults in our community.”

“It is important for older adults in our region to have a choice and range of options available to them when they want to remain at home as they age,” said Council on Aging Vice President of Program Operations Ken Wilson. “We are excited about this partnership and the ability it provides to bring a new option to frail older adults in Hamilton County. The PACE program aligns perfectly with our mission to help individuals remain as independent as possible, for as long as possible.”

“Hamilton County boasts a broad network of service organizations dedicated to improving the lives of older adults,” said Stephen Gordon, MD, MBA, Founder and CEO of Edenbridge Health. “We are honored to partner with them to bring the golden standard of eldercare – PACE – to the Cincinnati area.”

About the SOPCC

The three SOPCC organizations have come together for a singular purpose: to meet the individual needs and preferences of older adults in Southwestern Ohio with comprehensive support to help them live healthier lives at home and in the community, with meaning, dignity, and autonomy.

TriHealth, Cincinnati’s nationally recognized health care system, is committed to getting health care right by providing patients the right care at the right place at the right time. TriHealth physicians, clinicians and team members serve Cincinnati through the Population Health model, which prioritizes caring for each patient’s unique physical and behavioral health needs. More than 140 locations comprise TriHealth’s Greater Cincinnati network, including Bethesda North, Bethesda Butler, Good Samaritan and McCullough-Hyde Memorial hospitals. For more information, contact Tom Lange, Senior Public Relations Consultant, (513) 569-6728, [email protected].

Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio (COA) is a trusted source for information, referral and services to support individuals who wish to remain independent in their homes and communities. Annually, COA administers in-home care services and supports for more than 26,000 individuals in its service area. COA is the designated Area Agency on Aging serving Hamilton, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, and Warren counties. For more information, contact Paula Smith, Director of Communications, (513) 509-9211, [email protected].

Edenbridge Health is a PACE operator based in Boston, Massachusetts, that has developed PACE programs in Virginia, California, and Washington D.C., and is developing a program in Baltimore. Edenbridge was founded by leading geriatricians and PACE operators with extensive experience caring for older adults and leading PACE programs. For more information, contact Liz Carpenter, Communications Specialist, at [email protected].

About PACE

PACE programs cover all Medicare and Medicaid services. They use an interdisciplinary team including doctors, nurses, care managers and home health aides, working alongside a comprehensive network of health and social service providers. PACE is financed through global payments from Medicare and Medicaid. PACE is available today in 32 states and the District of Columbia, covering about 70,000 participants through more than 155 sponsoring organizations that run more than 326 PACE centers. For PACE programs across the country, 95% of family caregivers would recommend the program (Source: National PACE Association).

Under the terms of its award, the SOPCC must now apply to and be approved by CMS to become a Medicaid-reimbursed PACE Organization.