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 […]
Category: Medicare Advantage
Jim Rechtin took the helm as the president and CEO of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) on the first of July. A month in, he’s already tasked with facing tough questions, like how the company plans to combat regulatory headwinds in Medicare Advantage (MA) and home health care. Home health providers and MA plans have continually […]
To be the beneficiaries of an overwhelming amount of home health demand, providers have to take on a larger share of Medicare Advantage (MA) patients. In the short-term, that doesn’t come off as a financially shrewd strategy, but it makes sense from a long-term perspective. Last week, I wrote about a potential “leveling off” of […]
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 […]
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 […]
In-home health risk assessments and in-home health evaluations are a key part of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans’ strategy. On one end, they help recognize member needs, and help connect those members to other health care services. On the other end, they help boost MA plan profits, quite considerably. A recent study published in Health Affairs […]
Believe it or not, some home health providers have figured out a way to get what they want from Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. At least to a certain extent. Frontpoint Health has become a standout in the industry for running towards MA opportunities with gusto, rather than simply being dragged by the penetration.. From Frontpoint […]
A group of bipartisan lawmakers this week reintroduced legislation aimed at curtailing restrictive – and often flawed – prior-authorization processes within Medicare Advantage (MA). As it has been to most other parts of health care, prior authorization has long been problematic for home health providers and patients. That’s been increasingly true as more insurers have […]
As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cuts fee-for-service Medicare rates and Medicare Advantage (MA) penetration continues, top-tier home health companies are looking for top-tier payers to work with. Enhabit Inc. (NYSE: EHAB) considers itself a top-tier provider – regularly pointing toward its 30-day hospitalization rate, which was 20.5% below the national average […]
The value-based and home-based care enablement platform CareCentrix is in an interesting position. Not only is it in between home health providers and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, but it’s also now owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) – one of the retailers diving head first into home-based health care services. In a recent conversation […]
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