In the first year that truly felt “post-COVID,” home-based care providers did not see a shortage of challenges. Instead, in 2023, home health providers saw another year defined by payment struggles, with both the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Home care providers, meanwhile, were still grappling with high […]
In July, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over home health payment cuts. On Dec. 15, the Biden administration responded by asking a federal judge to throw out that lawsuit, […]
To find the most memorable home-based care executive quotes in 2023, Home Health Care News employed a strategy that is part art, part science. Ultimately, the quotes chosen resonated the most with HHCN’s staff and readers. They were prescient, controversial, telling and highly relevant to provider struggles and opportunities. They touched on the Centers for […]
Home health providers have griped with their Medicare Advantage (MA) plan partners for years over poor rates, claim denials and increased administrative burden. Providers have stopped short of banding together to deny coverage for these plans, but some of the top companies have reallocated capacity to “preferred payers.” In the end, though, it may not […]
A class-action lawsuit was filed against Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) in Kentucky on Tuesday. The company is the latest insurer under fire over its alleged utilization of AI to dictate or deny post-acute care. Humana Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries, specifically, filed the lawsuit, alleging that the company illegally used algorithms to limit post-acute care services. […]
After stalling in 2021, spending on home health care returned to a more normalized growth rate in 2022, according to a new analysis from the Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Specifically, national health expenditures on home health care increased by 6% to $132.9 billion in 2022. In […]
The Vistria Group and Centerbridge Partners are “weighing options” around the future of Help at Home, including a potential sale. Bloomberg first reported the news late Tuesday, citing “people with knowledge of the matter.” Based in Chicago, Help at Home is one of the largest providers of home- and community-based services (HCBS) in the country. […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is again taking steps to increase access to Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS). On Tuesday, the agency provided further guidance around how states can better support HCBS programs, which are both popular and sometimes hard to navigate. “For too long, American families have struggled to […]
Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: AVAH) has named Matt Buckhalter as its next CFO, elevating him from the interim tag he has held since June when David Afshar resigned from the role. Buckhalter has been with the Atlanta-based company since 2016. Prior to the CFO role, he also served as SVP of finance and led […]
Cigna Group (NYSE: CI) and Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) are reportedly no longer in deal talks. The two parties could not agree on a fair price, and there was also shareholder disinterest in a potential combination. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the suspension of talks on Sunday. Together, the two companies would have […]