Home-Based Care Giants Gamble On ‘Bold’ M&A, Revamped Payer Strategies

There are certain headwinds affecting all home-based care providers right now, whether it be in payment, staffing or otherwise. Amid those challenges, the largest companies are all taking slightly different approaches to growth. Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB), for instance, grabbed the attention of home health providers everywhere last week when it announced that it had […]

Medicare Advantage Home Health Utilization Lags Behind Traditional Medicare

Yet another study suggests that Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries have less access to quality home health services. In a study comparing traditional Medicare beneficiaries and MA beneficiaries in 2019, traditional Medicare beneficiaries were more likely to utilize outpatient, inpatient and home health care services than beneficiaries in MA plans. That was the case regardless of […]

What Comes Next After Enhabit’s UnitedHealthcare Contract Termination

Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB) CEO Barb Jacobsmeyer said Wednesday that the company would terminate its contract with the country’s largest Medicare Advantage (MA) payer, UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE UNH) UnitedHealthcare. UnitedHealthcare accounts for 9.4 million MA beneficiaries, or 29% of all enrollees, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), which is the second-largest […]

The Helper Bees Launches Flex Card To Streamline Home Care For Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries

The Helper Bees has introduced a flexible benefit card called helpful, which grants access to over-the-counter (OTC) products, groceries and a nationwide network of vetted Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) providers through a unified card experience. Helper Bees, based in Austin, Texas, is the developer of an aging-in-place platform that connects families with services in […]

What ‘Leveling Off’ Medicare Advantage Penetration Would Mean For Home Health Providers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) isn’t letting up on cuts to home health payments, but its recent rulemaking in Medicare Advantage (MA) may end up benefiting home health providers indirectly. As MA plans become more scrutinized by regulators and lawmakers – and payment updates come with more meager increases – MA penetration […]

Without Proper Post-Acute Care Relationships, MA Plans Are Leaving Money On The Table

Health plans generally do not have great visibility into their members’ care after an acute health event. Even when they do, many aren’t confident in the post-acute care provider that’s serving their member. These findings come from a new survey of health plans conducted by the post-acute care technology company WellSky. Specifically, the survey found […]