Trumpeted New Medicare Advantage Benefits Will Be Hard For Seniors To Find

Home Health Care News Perspective: With certain non-skilled in-home care services allowable under the Medicare Advantage program in 2019, the home care industry has made landing partnerships with health plans a top priority. But significant opportunities may not arise until 2020, experts predict. Just 3% of MA plans will next year offer in-home support services such as […]

UnitedHealth Group Encouraged by More MA Benefits

In-home care providers aren’t the only players looking forward to expanded Medicare Advantage (MA) benefits in 2019. Insurers that offer MA plans—notably behemoth UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH)—are also looking ahead and seeing the addition of more benefits as a major bonus. Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group offers medical benefits through its businesses UnitedHealthcare and Optum, which also provides some […]

Home Care Providers Plan to Seize New Medicare Advantage Opportunity

Investors were bullish on home care on Tuesday, following news that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans would officially be allowed to cover non-skilled home care services starting in 2019. Care providers were excited as well, making the case that they are well-positioned to seize this opportunity, even as they are trying to determine its scope. The […]

LHC Group Closes Almost Family Merger, Charts Future Course

LHC Group (Nasdaq: LHCG) and Almost Family have now officially become the second-largest U.S. home health provider. The combined company is moving forward on a plan to be a “house of brands” offering a full continuum of home health, personal care and hospice services in hundreds of markets across the country. In November 2017, the […]

How Home Care Could Be Re-Shaped if Walmart Acquires Humana

In the midst of acquiring a stake in the largest home health provider in the nation, insurance giant Humana (NYSE: HUM) might also be in early stage talks to itself be acquired by retail behemoth Walmart (NYSE: WMT). The combination of Humana and Walmart, though far from certain, would potentially be a game-changer for home […]

CMS Proposes Medicare Advantage Rate Hike

Medicare Advantage plans would receive a 1.35 percent net payment increase, on average, in calendar year 2017, according to a proposal released Friday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The agency also floated changes in how risk adjustment would be calculated for MA plans that serve many seniors dually eligible for Medicare […]

Medistar Home Health Joins UnitedHealthcare’s Provider Network

Medistar Home Health, a national Medicare-certified home health agency, recently joined UnitedHealthcare’s care provider network, the companies announced Monday. The partnership gives Lousiana residents enrolled in UnitedHealthcare’s employer-sponsored, MedicareDirect and Evercare/Secure Horizons Medicare Advantage health plans access to care provided by Medistar. “We are delighted to join UnitedHealthcare’s care provider network and to welcome their […]