Home-based care providers have faced many headwinds over the past few years. They’ll continue to do so in 2024. But uncertainty has also plagued providers, and there may be less of that this year. Providers know the threat of fee-for-service Medicare cuts. They know Medicare Advantage (MA) penetration is an unstoppable force. They know staffing […]
VitalCaring
Home health providers have griped with their Medicare Advantage (MA) plan partners for years over poor rates, claim denials and increased administrative burden. Providers have stopped short of banding together to deny coverage for these plans, but some of the top companies have reallocated capacity to “preferred payers.” In the end, though, it may not […]
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommended that the Medicare base payment rate for home health care be reduced by 7% for CY 2025. The recommendation is another chapter in the contentious relationship between the commission and the home health industry. It also recommended that Congress eliminate any payment updates for hospice providers in 2025. […]
Home health providers’ battle for fair reimbursement from Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will be a “generational battle,” and not one they will win overnight. But, at least for larger home health providers, their strategies in that battle are much more definitive than they were even a few years ago. Luke James, the president of VitalCaring, […]
Scroll down to watch: HHCN’s 2024 Final Home Health Payment Rule webinar The final payment rule for 2024 reaffirmed that, no matter the amount of on-the-ground testimonials or data the home health industry lays out, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is going to continue gaslighting providers. CMS has a hard job, […]
The discussion around home health provider-Medicare Advantage (MA) plan relationships has gotten tiring. But is it over the top? I don’t think so. Right when I think I’ve written about the topic too much, I’m reminded again by a home health provider just how important it is. And if you don’t believe me, here’s National […]
April Anthony is used to running large home health and hospice entities. VitalCaring – where she now serves as CEO – is still smaller than what she’s used to. It likely won’t be small for long, however. Despite her industry clout, a smaller footprint has made it hard to negotiate with Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. […]
Consolidation in the home health market has been forecasted for years. While the number of home health agencies has declined over the last couple, greater consolidation has yet to hit the industry. But the fragmented and growing home health space could finally begin to experience it in the near-term future, likely due to declining traditional […]
The second day of Home Health Care News’ FUTURE event began with an off-the-record breakfast conversation between HHCN+ subscribers. To kick the day off, I decided to poll the room by asking, “Does anyone in here have a Medicare Advantage success story that they could share with us?” The idea was to get a personal […]
There have been plenty of conversations regarding the FY 2024 proposed home health payment rule from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). However, one aspect of the rule that could be the “most impactful for home health providers moving forward” – according to VitalCaring President Luke James – is the temporary payment […]