HumanGood has joined the Perennial Consortium, expanding the value-based care initiative to now include the No. 6 largest senior living nonprofit in the U.S.

The Duarte, California-based senior living organization joined the group in late August with the purchase of shares previously owned by Christian Living Communities (CLC), which will remain an active participant in Perennial Advantage of Colorado and its plans for residents.

The Perennial Consortium advocates for value-based care plans and helps senior living operators set up their own plans. The end goal is to help residents stay well for longer, and thus age in place in their care settings.

Lynne Katzmann, founder and CEO of Juniper Communities who spearheaded the organization’s founding five years ago, said HumanGood will bring additional benefits to the value-based care organization given its national scale and continuum that includes affordable senior housing.

“They are strongly mission-driven and committed, as the rest of our members are, to an operator-owned plan that can set the standard for benefits and reimbursement between payers and senior living providers,” Katzmann told Senior Housing News. “Their leadership is strong and their bench is deep, and we are thrilled that they have joined the consortium at the parent level.”

Katzmann added the addition of HumanGood and its President and CEO John Cochrane to the board of directors will not change the organization’s structure.

Juniper had previously proved the efficacy of chronic disease management and early intervention with its Connect4Life care integration model, which has since its creation many years ago led to “significantly decreased hospitalizations,” Katzmann said.

“Equally, if not more importantly, we demonstrated that we can save significant dollars,” Katzmann said. “Perennial has been a role model for demonstrating the value of senior living to the health of older Americans and most importantly, the plan has shown that senior living can be reimbursed for the services it provides in care coordination, nutrition support, seamless access to primary care and this year and the value of secure housing.”

HumanGood officially joined the consortium on Aug. 21. According to the press release, the collaboration will allow Perennial Consortium to “increase operational efficiencies and continue to provide high quality and innovative senior care.”

“By coming together with Perennial, we can help grow our mission to inspire the best life for more residents and families,” Cochrane said in the press release. 

The Perennial Consortium is just one way that senior living operators are trying to expand in value-based care. Across the industry, various operators, including 12 Oaks, Benchmark Senior Living, and Epoch Senior Living are engaged in a value-based care “arms race” that is reshaping the face of the industry.