The U.S. Department of Justice has lost a case that would have blocked UnitedHealth Group (UHG) from acquiring Change Healthcare, a healthcare technology and data platform, for $13 billion.
Judge Carl Nichols of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued the opinion on Monday, which ordered Change Healthcare to sell...
Last Thursday, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) published a report demonstrating that Medicare Advantage is poised to represent over half of Medicare beneficiaries as soon as next year. Another report, published simultaneously, showed that over $10 billion has been spent by Medicare on the quality bonus program (QBP) that incentivizes...
Arizona's Medicare Advantage market continues to grow in Arizona with 48% penetration. UnitedHealthcare dominates enrollment in the state with its AARP branded offerings including the only 5-star plans in Arizona. Humana and Centene were the only two insurers to knock UnitedHealthcare off its No. 1 spot in a handful of Arizona...
This week in value-based care, a fresh look at untangling VBC for providers looking to enter into an ACO or payment model, results from the Comprehensive ESRD Care Model, and some market moves in long-term and home healthcare.
A new study published in Health Affairs on Monday demonstrates that the first Medicare accountable care...National News
The acquisition of LHC, a national provider of in-home healthcare services, is predicted to help leverage Optum's ability to advance value-based healthcare in patients' homes. Game on Humana.
Dr. Wyatt Decker, CEO, Optum Health,
LHC Group’s sophisticated care coordination capabilities and its warm, human touch is so important...National News
Humana Inc. has started to transition Kindred at Home’s home health division to CenterWell Home Health brand, a major step in the integration of Kindred at Home’s home health operations into Humana. The transition comes at a time when, due to the pandemic, improved technology, and ongoing concerns about nursing home quality of care,...National News
Insurance giant Humana released a report on value-based care (VBC), physician progress and patient outcomes based on 2020 data. Overall, the report found that the value-based approach was crucial for providers to deliver care and maintain important channels of communication during the COVID-19 pandemic while also remaining financially...
It's just a couple bucks, nonetheless MA plans in 2022 are advertising an average monthly premium of $19, far more than the average MA premium in Arizona at $11.64. But, it all adds up, last year 26.9 million were enrolled in MA nationally; Arizona's MA market enrollment stands at about 636,000, as of Sept. 1, 2021.
National MA...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released key information for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans in advance of the 2022 annual open enrollment period (OEP). Marketing and advertising for most MA plans starts October 1 with plan sales beginning October 15 and ending December 7, 2021.
Arizona...
On Tuesday, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), the nonpartisan commission advising the U.S. Congress on Medicare, advised the elimination of the value-based purchasing program, created in 2014 in order to improve quality of care for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). MedPAC says the standalone metric of hospital...News
This week Humana signed a definitive agreement to acquire One Homecare Solutions (“onehome”) from WayPoint Capital Partners (a private equity affiliate of a family investment office). This acquisition will continue Humana’s strategy to create a value-based home health offering. One Homecare Solution's offers a variety of home-based...National News
In President Biden's American Families Plan, subsidies under the expanded Obamacare have been extended indefinitely. Rebates or another stimulus check from insurance companies can be expected.
Another stimulus check might be coming from health insurers
The Obamacare subsidies were expanded in March when the COVID relief plan...National News
A Humana Inc. Medicare Advantage plan in Florida overcharged Medicare by $200 million in 2015 alone, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG). If the OIG's recommendation to repay is finalized, it would become the largest audit penalty ever imposed on a Medicare Advantage...National News
This month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an annual update on the federal government’s official understanding of health spending in the United States through 2019.
Healthcare spending, the modes in which healthcare is utilized by patients, employment for workers and costs can be broken down in...
Medicare open enrollment begins this week with Medicare Advantage enrollment expected to climb as it has consistently in past years. As the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announce new cost sharing information for Part D plans, and new brokers prepare to enter the market, here are some things to look out for this enrollment...
The global pandemic has forced industries across all sectors to adapt or risk insolvency. Firms have transitioned operations worldwide into the homes of their employees and healthcare is attempting to do the same by streamlining payments to increase home-based care access.
According to Humana executives, the coronavirus should...National News
Humana joined a slew of other companies in withdrawing guidance for 2020 amid coronavirus uncertainties but the healthcare giant decided to stick to its Medicare Advantage guidance for the year, despite pulling its Medicaid outlook.
The company beat Wall Street estimates, posting an 18% revenue increase to $19 billion compared to...Arizona News
This week, four major insurers announced plans to alleviate financial burdens on patients for COVID-19 treatments.
In addition to sweeping pledges made by most companies to waive bills for coronavirus testing two weeks ago, Cigna, Humana, Aetna and UnitedHealthcare (UHC) introduced plans that would waive consumer costs entirely or...National News
The healthcare sector led the market rally on Wednesday following a Super Tuesday Joe Biden victory that drove stocks higher.
In an emergency decision, the Fed cut rates 50 basis points on Tuesday, offering little relief for the market that closed down 2.8 percent - erasing any intra-day gains. With Biden the clear representative of...National News
This week, health insurance company Humana, Inc. and private equity company Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe announced they will launch a $600 million project in primary care centers specifically for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.
Humana’s Partners in Primary Care already runs primary care facilities in a handful of markets...
