High-Performance Partnerships - National Academy of Public ...

Medicare insurer, CMS was the ultimate
authority on the text of the materials.
This effort can be categorized as a performance-based
partnership that arose from an
unmet community need. There was no
Medicare information targeted to caregivers
prior to this effort. Partnership leadership was
shared between CMS and the National Alliance
for Caregiving.
Results
The partnership has produced high quality
Medicare and eldercare information materials
for employed caregivers. Interest from the
employer community, workplace intermediaries,
and caregiver community has been
extensive. This partnership has accomplished
meaningful results for customers and the community
at large.
The employer’s toolkit workbook for managers
describes no cost/low cost eldercare programs.
It provides a context for myriad caregiver services
and support programs made available to
employed caregivers through mid-size and
small employers. CMS has received many testaments
to the need for these materials during
the focus group and pilot-testing phases.
Employers and workplace intermediaries perceive
the materials as credible, informative, and
very useful. The potential audience numbers
in the millions. If CMS can distribute the
materials to a fraction of the proposed audience,
many beneficiaries will better use Medicare services.
In addition, their caregivers will become
more educated about Medicare and may be able
to be devote more time to their employment.
Employers will increase their productivity and
have more productive staff.
Secondarily, CMS has discovered a new universe
of partners with access to CMS’ target audience.
Challenges
CMS had no background in the caregiver
arena and stepped outside its traditional box.
It partnered with a host of organizations it had
never communicated with before. The mission
presented a rare win-win situation as there was
a clear and unmet need for these products.
The partners came to the table willingly since
they perceived an unusual opportunity to work
with CMS. The partnership successfully
bridged the public, private, and voluntary sectors
and their diverse value systems to develop
excellent products. The products have
achieved unique popularity and demand even
though they are still being tested. The major
challenges, oddly enough, will be in the public
sector, such as bureaucratic clearance for printing
and allocating funds.
Keys to Success
The opportunity to partner with a government
agency—a regulatory one which very rarely
sought external input—was a key turning
point for the success of this project. CMS
received a large and positive response from
potential partners. The partnership’s structure
leveraged the resources of diverse national
organizations with state and local affiliates,
allowing the products to be developed, tested,
and potentially distributed to millions of
employed caregivers. This approach generates
local distribution from a national partnership.
Also, CMS engaged stakeholders with experts
that became invested in the partnership effort
and played a major role in product promotion.
Partners were impressed with the CMS staff’s
flexibility and dedication. CMS and the government
gained credibility and legitimacy
through its partners. This led to leveraging
more resources, maximizing existing assets,
and building better relationships.
Most employers do not currently include
Medicare-related information in their programs.
By institutionalizing it, CMS could reach caregivers
on a continuing basis at low cost.
61 Powering the Future: High-Performance Partnerships