Community Care Plan Aims to Close Gare Gaps and Improve Social Determinants of Health for Vulnerable Medicaid Members
Today, Community Care Plan announced its collaboration with Papa, a curated platform of companionship and support for older adults, families, and other vulnerable populations. Community Care Plan now provides its qualified Medicaid members with Papa’s services, including companionship and help with light house tasks, kids playtime or completing homework, technology education, transportation, and other general assistance needs.
In support of its mission to promote healthier communities, Community Care Plan continues its focus to improve the social determinants of health (SDoH) for its community and members. This includes removing barriers that affect one's health and improving human connection. A 2018 study from the American Cancer Society, "found that lack of social connection may be associated with obesity, heart disease, and smoking" . By working with Papa, Community Care Plan provides its qualified Medicaid members with the social support services that they may be lacking.
Using the power of connectedness to improve health and close gaps in care, Papa’s on-demand workforce of compassionate Papa Pals will address the specific needs of Community Care Plan’s Medicaid members. Community Care Plan will provide Papa Pals to Medicaid members ages 12 to 17 who have not had a well visit in the last calendar year, members who are pregnant or have delivered in the last year, and members who are age 55 or older.
“To improve the health of our members, we want to help improve human connection and remove barriers that affect their everyday lives," said Miguel Venereo, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Community Care Plan. “Whether it’s to talk to someone, go along to doctor’s appointments, watch a mom’s kids at the doctor’s office so she can focus on her appointment, or give that mom a break and help make sure that the kids get their homework done, Papa Pals are there to provide our members with support."
Papa Pals are trained companions who provide human help for critical day-to-day tasks. By serving as eyes and ears in the home, these trusted companions are able to understand the needs of members and to connect members to plan benefits or vital community resources.
“Medicaid beneficiaries are too often overlooked in the healthcare system. It’s time we deliver the quality, compassionate, human care that these members deserve, which is especially critical for those who live with chronic conditions," said Andrew Parker, Papa founder and CEO. “Through our partnership with Community Care Plan, our Papa Pals can assess firsthand SDoH needs and help address the far too common barriers to health and vitality. Community Care Plan provides true whole person health, and we’re proud to join them in a collective mission to improve health outcomes for this population."
Qualified Community Care Plan Medicaid members can get up to 60 hours of Papa Pal service over the year at no cost and can learn more at www.ccpcares.org/papa.
About Papa
Papa is a new kind of care, built on human connection. Across the country, health plans and employers look to Papa to provide vital social support by pairing older adults and families with Papa Pals, trained and vetted companions, who provide a helping hand and an open ear, resulting in less loneliness and better health. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Miami, Papa is backed by Canaan, Tiger Global Management, Comcast Ventures, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, TCG, Initialized Capital, and Seven Seven Six, among other revered institutional and individual investors. We envision a world where no one has to go it alone. Learn more at
papa.com.