Fast-track Innovation: Area Agencies on Aging Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Millions of older Americans depend on services provided by Area Agencies on Aging to support their nutritional, social, and health needs. Social distancing requirements and the closure of congregate activities due to COVID-19 resulted in a rapid and dramatic shift in service delivery modes. Area Agencies on Aging were able to quickly pivot due to their long-standing expertise in community needs assessment and cross-sectoral partnerships.

Medicare fraud and abuse.

Medicare fraud and abuse affects the quality of services and the cost of health care. The Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with federal and local agencies to educate consumers to recognize and report suspected cases. In this brief we discuss the Senior Medicare Patrol Project and the roles of the federal agency organizations in preventing fraudulent activities in the Medicare system.