Aetna, National Alliance, and MissionCare Collective Partner to Strengthen Direct Care Workforce in Illinois, Louisiana, and North Carolina
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) has announced a collaboration with the National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) and MissionCare Collective to improve access to home health care for older adults and individuals with disabilities, as well as to provide better support for direct care workers in Illinois, Louisiana, and North Carolina.
With Americans living longer and experiencing a decline in the average number of years spent in good health, the role of direct care workers has become increasingly critical. These workers provide essential services to those with physical, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, as well as older adults. However, a long-standing shortage of direct care workers has made it difficult for these populations to receive care at home. This shortage is driven by issues such as low retention rates, recruitment difficulties, and more, also complicating the administration of Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) within Medicaid programs.
The pilot program, funded by Aetna, is initially being launched in Illinois, Louisiana, and North Carolina. It brings together the expertise of two organizations committed to transforming home care: the Alliance, which represents providers across home care, home health, hospice, and palliative services, and MissionCare Collective, known for its innovative workforce solutions aimed at expanding and retaining the care workforce. The collaboration seeks to address the shortage of direct care workers and ensure that older adults and individuals with disabilities have access to high-quality care at home.
To strengthen the direct care workforce, Aetna, the Alliance, and MissionCare Collective will regularly convene to assess data trends and take action where needed. This includes implementing CoachUp Care, a data-driven solution from MissionCare Collective designed to enhance engagement, provide workforce support, and identify actionable insights to reduce turnover. The goal is to build a scalable and measurable framework to ensure long-term workforce stability.
Dr. Chris Jagmin, Aetna’s Chief Medical Officer for Medicaid, noted, “Americans are living longer, and the persistent shortage of direct care workers is creating a significant health care gap for those who need it most. By bringing Aetna, the Alliance, and MissionCare together, we can better identify actionable solutions to improve the lives of older adults and those with disabilities.”
Lisa King, Senior Vice President of Operations at All Ways Caring HomeCare, a provider involved in the pilot program, shared, “Our caregivers are the heart of what we do, but they often earn more in other industries. We need innovative, scalable solutions to retain home care workers.”
In addition to the workforce challenges, many direct care workers face difficulties with their own health care coverage. MissionCare Collective reports that 32% of caregivers rely on Medicaid, despite providing essential care to Medicaid beneficiaries. The collaboration will also use CoachUp Care to gain a deeper understanding of the social care needs of Medicaid-eligible home health care workers, aiming to improve their economic security, support their day-to-day needs, and create sustainable career pathways.
Brandi Kurtyka, CEO of MissionCare Collective, emphasized, “This effort is about more than just implementing technology; it’s about bringing together the right people who are committed to making a lasting impact on the care economy.”
Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home, stressed, “The direct care workforce is not only struggling to meet the rising demand for care but also to make ends meet. By collaborating across our industry, we can develop strategies to improve the economic security of home health care workers and expand the direct care sector, which is expected to create over 1 million new jobs by 2031.”
Participating home health care providers in the program include:
- Illinois: Absolute Home Care Plus, All Ways Caring HomeCare, Family First Home Care, Interim Healthcare Services of Joliet, Inc., Sparta Community Hospital, UW Health Swedish American Hospital.
- Louisiana: All Ways Caring HomeCare, Complete Home Health.
- North Carolina: All Ways Caring HomeCare, Ally Home Care, Liberty Homecare and Hospice, Piedmont Home Care.
Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC (Aetna Medicaid), a CVS Health company, has over 30 years of experience managing the care of under-resourced populations, using innovative approaches and a local presence in each market to achieve both successful health care results and effective cost outcomes. Aetna Medicaid has expertise serving high-need Medicaid members, including those who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Currently, Aetna Medicaid owns and/or administers Medicaid managed health care plans under the names of Aetna Better Health and other affiliate names. Together, these plans serve members in 15 states, including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. For more information, see www.aetnabetterhealth.com.
About CVS Health
CVS Health® is a leading health solutions company building a world of health around every consumer, wherever they are. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had more than 9,000 retail pharmacy locations, more than 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 90 million plan members, and a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than 800,000 patients per year. The Company also serves an estimated more than 36 million people through traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including highly rated Medicare Advantage offerings and a leading standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. The Company’s integrated model uses personalized, technology driven services to connect people to simply better health, increasing access to quality care, delivering better outcomes, and lowering overall costs.
