News & Press
He died of a Tuesday
by: John Loughnane, Medical Director, Commonwealth Care Alliance
May 5, 2013
Boston MA
"He died of a Tuesday" was published by MetroWest Daily News on Sunday, May 5, 2013. Click here to read full article.
Commonwealth Care Alliance Achieves Highest Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan Quality Star Rating in Massachusetts
March 11, 2013
Boston, MA
Commonwealth Care Alliance announced today that its Senior Care Options Program received a 4.5 out of 5 star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2013 plan ratings, the highest rating achieved for quality and performance by any Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan for people in Massachusetts aged 65 or over.
Download press release (pdf).
Commonwealth Care Alliance Selected as Integrated Care Organization in Mass Healthcare Initiative
November 2, 2012
Boston, MA
Commonwealth Care Alliance announced today that it has been selected for contract negotiations to participate as an Integrated Care Organization (ICO) in the Massachusetts Duals Demonstration, which seeks to improve care and contain the cost of caring for Massachusetts 111,000 adults aged 21 to 64 eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Commonwealth Care Alliance will now advance to a joint state and federal readiness review process to prepare to serve as an ICO.
Download press release (pdf).
A Health Plan for the Neediest and for the Nation
"A Health Plan for the Neediest and for the Nation" - John E. McDonough, Health Stew on Boston.com, Oct. 24, 2012.
Read the blog*.
Realizing The Promise Of Integrated Care For The 'Dual Eligibles'
"Realizing The Promise Of Integrated Care For The 'Dual Eligibles'" - Health Affairs, Oct. 22, 2012.
Read the blog*.
Dr. Master Speaks at National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Convention
October 20, 2012
Marlborough, MA
Commonwealth Care Alliance CEO Robert J. Master, MD recently presented at the NAMI Massachusetts Convention -- 30 Years of Progress: Shining a Light on Mental Health and Recovery. Dr. Master spoke about integrating MassHealth and Medicare for people with health issues.
See the presentation deck (pdf). © 2012 Commonwealth Care Alliance, Inc.
Commonwealth Care Alliance Homes in on Senior Set
"Commonwealth Care Alliance Homes in on Senior Set" - Dorchester Reporter, Aug. 30, 2012.
Read the article*.
Commonwealth Care Alliance Opens New Office in Holyoke
June 22, 2012
Holyoke, MA
Mayor Alex B. Morse today helped Commonwealth Care Alliance celebrate the opening of its new office at 57 Suffolk Street in Holyoke, Mass. by speaking and participating in an inaugural ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house
Download press release (pdf).
Community Partners Receive Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Grant to Improve Care
June 15, 2012
Boston, MA
Commonwealth Care Alliance, in partnership with three leading greater Boston Human Service provider organizations (Vinfen, Bay Cove, and North Suffolk), has been awarded a sizable grant from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to deploy and test a new comprehensive approach to integrated primary and mental health care for individuals with serious disabling mental illness.
This award is very significant. It puts Commonwealth Care Alliance in the privileged position as a "first mover" in efforts to realize the Affordable Care Act's goal of fundamentally improving care for those with the most significant burdens of illness, disability, and vulnerability. No population anywhere is more poorly served by our fragmented fee-for-service system than those with serious mental illness, particularly those whose illnesses require ongoing supportive housing to maintain independent living.
Download press release (pdf).
But Will The Cost-Cutting Bills Really Save Money?
"But Will The Cost-Cutting Bills Really Save Money?" - CommonHealth: Where Reform Meets Reality (WBUR), May 29, 2012.
Read the blog and watch the video*.
Coordinated Health Care Works for Elderly
"Viewpoint: Coordinated Health Care Works for Elderly " - Lois Simon & W. Patrick Hughes, The Republican, May 27, 2012.
Read the article*.
A Doctor's Fix for Health Care Delivery
"Commonwealth Care Alliance CEO Bob Master has a plan to change health care delivery - and it doesn't involve Medicaid managed care" - GOVERNING, Jan. 3, 2012.
Read the article*.
The Dignity of Risk
"The Dignity of Risk" - Health Care Organizational Ethics, Sep. 27, 2011.
Read the blog*.
Meeting Patients Where They Are
"Meeting Patients Where They Are" - Primary Care Progress, Aug. 4, 2011.
Read the blog*.
From Haiti to Harvard: Crucial Foot Soldiers of Health Make Housecalls
"From Haiti to Harvard: Crucial Foot Soldiers of Health Make Housecalls" - CommonHealth: Where Reform Meets Reality (WBUR), Mar. 25, 2011.
Read the blog*.
The MetroWest Daily Editorial - Making health care affordable
"Making health care affordable" The MetroWest Daily News, Feb. 20, 2011.
Read the article*.
House Calls: Caring For A Very Sick Man, And An Incurable Young Woman
"House Calls: Caring For A Very Sick Man, And An Incurable Young Woman" - CommonHealth: Where Reform Meets Reality (WBUR), Sep. 24, 2010.
Read the blog*.
The Community Catalyst Blog: The Future of Health Care
"The Future of Health Care" - The Community Catalyst Blog, Sep. 17, 2010.
Read the blog*.
Field Test: Does Bob Master Hold The Secret to Better Health Care?
"Field Test: Does Bob Master Hold The Secret to Better Health Care?" - CommonHealth: Where Reform Meets Reality (WBUR), Sep. 10, 2010.
Read the blog*.
Boston's Community Medical Group Receives Finalist Award for Providing Comprehensive Care to More Than 400 Patients with Severe Physical Disabilities
January 27, 2010
Boston, MA
Commonwealth Care Allianc's clinical affiliate Boston's Community Medical Group has been has been recognized by the Premier healthcare alliance and its member hospitals for providing comprehensive care to more than 400 patients with severe physical disabilities.
BCMG was one of six organizations nationally recognized as a finalist for the 18th annual Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award. The Cares Award, sponsored by the Premier healthcare alliance and its member hospitals, honors exemplary efforts by not-for-profit organizations to improve access to healthcare for the underserved.
Download press release (pdf).
Watch the award video*.
Boston Business Journal - Network Health, nonprofits launch alliance
“Network Health, nonprofits launch alliance” – Boston Business Journal, Jan. 27, 2010.
Read the article*.
Network Health Partners with Commonwealth Care Alliance to Help Members with Complex Needs
January 26, 2010
Boston, MA
Commonwealth Care Alliance and its affiliate, Prevention and Access to Care and Treatment (PACT) has partnered with Network Health, a Massachusetts health plan that provides high-quality health care coverage to more than 150,000 Massachusetts residents with low and moderate income to launch a unique, innovative program called Network Health Alliance. Through Network Health Alliance, Network Health members who have complex health needs will get enhanced care management services, care coordination, and extra clinical support.
Download press release (pdf).
President & CEO, Robert J. Master, MD Honored With National Health Quality Award
March 18, 2009
Washington, DC
NCQA, the nation’s leading driver of healthcare improvement and quality, has acknowledged the work of Robert J. Master, MD, alongside President Obama’s Director of Management and Budget Peter Orszag, and two other honorees at a national awards ceremony in Washington, DC. Dr. Master joins a prestigious list of former award recipients, including US Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and US Surgeon General David Satcher.
Dr. Master was recognized for his leadership in improving the quality of care for vulnerable populations, most recently creating the Commonwealth Care Alliance, a nonprofit care delivery system committed to serving the elderly and individuals with disabilities through the provision of enhanced primary care in an integrated approach with related social support services. Commonwealth Care Alliance cares for over 2,000 members - Medicare and Medicaid's most medically complex and frail beneficiaries - by investing heavily and creatively in developing team models of care and providing primary medical care and community-based long-term care services. Commonwealth Care Alliance is able to deliver this highly personalized approach to care by bringing together Medicare and Medicaid financing to serve as the "insurer" as well as the organizer and provider of healthcare and social services.
Download press release (pdf).
Boston Globe Editorial - Managing Care the Right Way
"Managing Care the Right Way" - The Boston Globe, Mar. 26. 2008. Read the article*.
Neighborhood Network News – New Ways to Make Care More Effective and More Affordable
March 25, 2009
In response to his national health quality award, Bob Master was invited to appear on a local community access cable television channel to speak about Commonwealth Care Alliance and its work.
Dr. Master discussed how Commonwealth Care Alliance has been able to provide better care at a lower cost by placing a much greater emphasis on primary care and care coordination.
Read the transcript of the interview (pdf).
Presentations & National Conferences
Health Aging in the Commonwealth: Pathways to Lifelong Wellness
December 14, 2007
Boston, MA
Rosa Palacios, Department of Health Education and Caregiver Training, recently presented at the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum as part of a panel discussion on how to help seniors stay healthy, active, and socially engaged as the baby boom generation retires and life expectancy increases.
Read the conference findings*.
View the presentation*. © 2009 Commonwealth Care Alliance, Inc.
3rd Annual SNP Leadership Forum: Charting the Future for Special Needs Plans
November 6-7, 2007
Washington DC
President & CEO, Robert J. Master and Chief Operating Officer, Lois Simon, were invited to participate in the National Health Policy Group- and SNP Alliance-sponsored conference held in Washington, DC.
Dr. Master spoke on Dual SNPs as part of a panel in the session, "How Would Proposed SNP Legislation Enhance or Impede Opportunities for Specialized Managed Care? Insights from Leading SNP Executives."
Ms. Simon facilitated the session, "How Do Major Stakeholders View Integration and Critical Next Steps?"
Managed Long-Term Supports and Services: Purchasing Institute
October 24-25, 2007
Milwaukee, WI
Chief Operating Officer, Lois Simon spoke at the Center for Health Care Strategies conference held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
She addressed audiences during the session, "State/Plan Collaborations," which described models for developing relationships between state purchasers and managed long-term care organizations and the elements essential to their success.
View the presentation (pdf). © 2007 Commonwealth Care Alliance, Inc.
SNP Year Three Conference: Managing and Growing Special Needs Plans
October 22-23, 2007
Arlington, VA
Lois Simon presented at a Special Needs Plan conference in Virginia, where she spoke about the elements of a successful care model for special needs patients.
View the presentation. © 2007 Commonwealth Care Alliance, Inc.
Robert J. Master, M.D., President and CEO of Commonwealth Care Alliance, was invited to present recently in Texas to the congressionally mandated Medicaid Commission that is meeting to determine the policy direction for the future of the Medicaid program. Dr. Master's presentation was featured as an example of a provider innovation that serves as a best practice for dual eligible beneficiaries. The presentation spoke to the policy opportunity that prepaid clinical care delivery systems like Commonwealth Care Alliance provide for improving the care and cost experience of Medicaid supported elders and persons with disabilities. View the presentation*. © 2007 Commonwealth Care Alliance, Inc.
The Art Connection
Commonwealth Care Alliance has received donated original works of art through a local organization, The Art Connection. To learn more, please visit their website at www.theartconnection.org*
To download these documents, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, click here* to download and install a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
To search an Adobe PDF file using Adobe Acrobat Reader, click on the "Search" icon (the button with the binoculars) on the Acrobat file toolbar or choose "Edit > Search" from the Acrobat menu. In the "Search PDF" window that opens, type in the word or phrase you are looking for and click on "Search".
The cursor will jump to the first place in the document that word or phrase appears and a search results box will appear listing all the occurrences of that word or phrase. You can jump to any particular instance of the word or phrase by clicking on that item in the results box. You can also use the "Edit > Search Results > Next Result" or "Edit > Search Results > Previous Result" in the Acrobat menu to navigate forwards or backwards to the next item.
*When you click this link, you will leave Commonwealth Care Alliance's web site
Last Updated 3/13/13
| 
