Evaluation of the Effect of the Older Americans Act Title III-C Nutrition Services Program on Participants’ Health Care Utilization

Evaluation of the Effect of the Older Americans Act Title III-C Nutrition Services Program on Participants’ Health Care Utilization

Published: Sep 14, 2018
Publisher: Cambridge, MA: Mathematica Policy Research

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Associated Project

The Administration on Aging Nutrition Services Program Evaluation

Time frame: 2013-2017

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging

Authors

Arkadipta Ghosh

Bob Schmitz

Barbara Carlson

Key Findings

Key Findings:

  • Congregate meal participants were more likely to remain living in their home, when compared to nonparticipants.
  • Congregate meal participants who lived alone were less likely than nonparticipants to have a hospital admission or have an emergency department visit that led to a hospital admission.
  • Further research is needed to better identify new, individually-tailored approaches that would improve outcomes for home-delivered meal participants.

The Administration on Aging (AoA) within ACL at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services administers the Older Americans Act Title III-C Nutrition Services Program (NSP). The NSP promotes access to nutritious meals, nutrition education, and nutrition counseling; facilitates social contact; and conducts health promotion activities all which help older adults maintain their independence in their homes and communities.

This is the second of two reports detailing the NSP outcomes evaluation. This report evaluates the effect of the NSP on participants’ health care utilization, and healthcare costs by comparing participants to similar nonparticipants. Health care utilization and costs outcomes were determined through examining Medicare administrative records.

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