Since 2019, The SCAN Foundation (TSF) has funded critical bodies of work to advance understanding of nonmedical Medicare Advantage (MA) benefits to support health-related social needs (HRSNs). This includes a resource center that has become the go-to source for information nationwide, providing easy access to data and insights on benefits, implementation ‘roadmaps,’ and policy recommendations.

Now five years into implementation, critical data gaps exist on whether and how nonmedical benefits reach and/or provide value to consumers. PPL will be helping to close these gaps by conducting human-centered design research with older Americans about their experiences receiving Medicare Advantage nonmedical benefits. Overall, this project will work to build an evidence base on the value of nonmedical benefits, focusing particularly on TSF’s priority populations of BIPOC, rural, and low-income older adults. It will also support a more balanced review and discourse on benefits extending beyond traditional healthcare coverage among policymakers, industry experts, and consumer advocates to inform new Medicare coverage and care delivery reforms that reflect the needs and preferences of TSF’s priority populations.