The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI)’s new director is Brad Smith, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Monday. Previously, Smith co-founded and worked as the CEO of the home-based palliative care provider Aspire Health before it was sold to national insurance giant Anthem in May 2018. He most recently […]
Anthem
Anthem Inc. (NYSE: ANTM) and a number of its affiliated health plans were among the relatively few Medicare Advantage (MA) entities to actually offer home care-related supplemental benefits for the 2019 plan year. The Indianapolis-based Anthem was one of the first major insurers to publicly promote that fact as well, highlighting its expanded benefits packages […]
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) — which reportedly came somewhat close to becoming a home health provider in its own right last year — is diving deeper into the health care sector. Last week, the retail giant confirmed plans to open up a new health clinic, dubbed Walmart Health, in Georgia. CNBC first reported the news […]
Geographic alignment and outside-of-the-box thinking are among the qualities Anthem Inc. (NYSE: ANTM) values from its prospective home care partners in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. An ability to demonstrate the value of in-home care services through data and evidence is also important, Martin Esquivel, vice president of Medicare product development for Indianapolis-based Anthem, told Home […]
About one in five American adults currently assists an older family member in some way, shape or form, often by completing taxing household chores or contributing hundreds of dollars each month in financial support, a new survey has found. The findings reaffirm the value of respite care, a major selling point for many home care […]
Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are allowed to cover a range of in-home care services for the first time in 2019, but few insurers are going to do so, according to recent analyses of plan offerings. Experts believe these types of benefits could gain a lot more traction in the next two to three years, however. […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Friday unveiled a proposal to expand telehealth benefits in Medicare Advantage, making it easier for beneficiaries to access these services from home rather than a health care facility. Under the proposed rule, which would take effect in calendar year 2020, MA plans could cover telehealth services […]
Most Medicare Advantage insurers do not yet appreciate the value of home-based care, according to Bill Dombi, president of the National Association of Home Care & Hospice (NAHC). “I didn’t enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, because I don’t think they believe in home care yet,” Dombi said in opening remarks at NAHC’s annual conference […]
Home care providers have been wondering how insurers will capitalize on the allowance of non-skilled in-home care services under the Medicare Advantage (MA) program since policymakers initially opened that door in early spring. They’re now starting to get some clarity, thanks to Anthem, Inc. (NYSE: ANTM), one of the top players in the MA market. […]
An insurance giant and retail superpower are teaming up in another move reflecting consumers’ desire to age in place. Anthem (NYSE: ANTM) and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) announced Monday that they’re forming a partnership to decrease health care costs and improve access to medication and supplies. If successful, the move could increase shopping convenience to home care providers and […]
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