The Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity, Access and Community Health (ACO REACH) payment model will launch on Jan. 1, 2023, and hospices that collaborate with participating ACOs could realize some unique benefits. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation announced the program in February to replace the Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) models. The […]
Category: Value-Based Care
SCAN Health Plan is among the Medicare Advantage (MA) payers entering the hospice component of the value-based insurance design (VBID) payment demonstration in 2023. The four-year program — often called the Medicare Advantage hospice carve-in — launched Jan. 1, 2021, with 53 participating health plans. This number grew to 115 in 2022. Next year, 119 […]
Hospices and Accountable Care Organizations have the ability to customize payment contracts within the Realizing Equity, Access and Community Health (ACO REACH) program. Effective Jan. 1, 2023, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is replacing the Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) model with ACO REACH. The agency says the new program […]
Only 10 new Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will offer home-based palliative care as a primarily health-related benefit for 2023, but payers may be offering those services through other programs. Among Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits, in-home support services and caregiver support saw the most year-over-year growth for 2023. The number of plans offering home-based palliative care […]
The hospice component of the value-based insurance design (VBID) demonstration will include elements designed to promote health equity in 2023. HHS indicated that VBID participants will implement strategies to advance health equity across all aspects of their participation. This aligns with previous statements from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that health […]
Hospices have taken their first steps towards value-based reimbursement during the past two years, but signs point to a long journey ahead. The U.S. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation is currently testing coverage of hospice care through Medicare Advantage through the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) program. Often called the Medicare Advantage hospice carve-in, the […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is starting a “new chapter” with health equity and value-based and person-centered care as top priorities, according to the agency’s administrator, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. Brooks-LaSure made these remarks at the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations’ (NAACOS) annual conference in Washington, D.C., where she reaffirmed health equity […]
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) will partner to offer a range of health care services to seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. The 10-year collaboration will begin in January 2023 at 15 Walmart Health locations in Florida and Georgia and will gradually expand to new markets. The companies expect to serve […]
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) has agreed to purchase Signify Health (NYSE: SGFY) for a total transaction value of $8 billion. Signify is a value-based care enablement company that concentrates on care in the home, including home health and palliative care. CVS indicated that the transaction will lay the foundation for further expansion in home-based health […]
Understanding payer priorities in defining the scope of quality is vital for hospices to thrive not only in traditional Medicare, but also in today’s value-based reimbursement climate. The nitty gritty details of data tracking and management matter when it comes to ensuring both a healthy bottom line and quality patient care. This includes performance on […]