Senators Grill CMS Nominee Dr. Oz On Medicaid Cuts

Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump’s choice to take the helm of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), faced questions on Capitol Hill about his stance on future cuts to Medicaid. These are cuts that could result in reduced access to Medicaid-funded home and community-based services. On Friday, Oz testified before the Senate […]

Fixing A ‘Badly Broken Medical System’: Home Care Leaders Testify Before Congress On Post-Acute Care

On Tuesday, post-acute care leaders and advocates testified before the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means regarding the importance of home health care. During the health subcommittee hearing titled “After the Hospital: Ensuring Access to Quality Post-Acute Care,” Empath President and CEO Jonathan Fleece and Dr. Dana Madison, owner of BSA Compassion Home Care, […]

UnitedHealthcare To End Certain Home Health Prior Authorization Requirements As Part Of Larger Push

UnitedHealthcare is eliminating prior authorization requirements for certain home health services provided under Medicare Advantage plans as part of a larger push to cut prior authorization volume by 10% this year. Effective April 1, 2025, the insurance giant—part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UHG)—will no longer require prior authorization or concurrent review processes for home health […]

With Amedisys Case Ongoing, DOJ Reportedly Also Investigating UHG’s Medicare Advantage Billing

Amid the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) legal battle with UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UHG) regarding the planned purchase of Amedisys (Nasdaq: AMED), the company is also now reportedly facing an investigation for a different matter. The DOJ is currently pursuing a civil fraud investigation focused on the company’s practices for recording diagnoses that activate extra […]

Inside UnitedHealth Group’s Defense Of $3.3B Amedisys Acquisition

Recent developments in the legal battle over the planned $3.3 billion UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UHG) acquisition of Amedisys (Nasdaq: AMED) have moved the case closer to trial and shed more light on how UnitedHealth and Amedisys are pursuing divestments and defending the transaction. First, UnitedHealth dropped its motion to dismiss the case, saying that the […]

Medicare Advantage Enrollees Use Less Home Health Care In Their Final Days Than Traditional Medicare Patients

End-of-life home health care use and duration are lower among Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees compared to traditional Medicare enrollees across nearly all populations. This is especially true among Hispanic people and people identifying as Asian or Pacific Islander, according to a research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers found that […]

Fewer Medicare Advantage Plans Are Offering Home-Based Care Services For 2025

Last year, many major Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations released previews of what benefits they planned to offer seniors this year. Many of these organizations have moved away from offering plans that include home-based care services. In fact, ATI Advisory found that fewer MA plans were offering benefits, such as in-home services and support, as well […]

Embracing Innovation: Home Health Providers Set for a Promising 2025

Despite initial challenges, 2025 appears promising for home health providers, as indicated by industry experts in Home Health Care News’s recent webinar, Home Health Outlook 2025. During the discussion, experts addressed several key issues, including Medicare Advantage (MA) reimbursement rates, labor shortages and improved technology integration. The panel also explored future risk-sharing opportunities and highlighted […]

CMS Plans 4.3% Medicare Advantage Payment Increase for 2026

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2026 plans to raise payments to Medicare Advantage plans by 4.3% in 2026. CMS has issued an advance notice of policy changes for Medicare Advantage and Part D that would install technical updates, including to the ways the agency calculates payments to health plans. “CMS […]