CMS To End Hospice MA Carve-In: Insights For Home-Based Care Providers

Grand opening, grand closing. Hospice providers began to work with Medicare Advantage (MA) via the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) demonstration in 2021. At the end of 2024, the “hospice carve-in” model will cease. This will have an impact on home health providers who offer hospice services, obviously. But the failure of hospice’s fit within VBID […]

Why Home Care Leaders Are Now Banking On ‘Caregiver-First’ Cultures

Over the last several years, a notable trend is emerging in home care: Top-tier companies are shifting their focus from prioritizing customers to prioritizing caregivers. This strategic move reflects a growing recognition of the critical role caregivers play, and aims to address persistent caregiver shortages. “The trend has always been there, but I think now […]

How PACE Could Cover More Older Adults

Like other care models that primarily serve seniors, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) has achieved a higher profile following the height of the pandemic. However, there’s still a larger push to expand PACE across the U.S. Currently, there are only 156 PACE organizations operating in 32 states and the District of […]

What The UnitedHealth Group Antitrust Investigation Means For Amedisys, Home Health Industry

Since the news surfaced Tuesday that the Department of Justice had opened an antitrust investigation into UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), additional questions have bubbled up. Namely, those questions surround the home health provider Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED), which agreed to be acquired by UnitedHealth Group’s Optum in June of last year. Will that deal be […]

Untangling The History, Causes Behind The Precipitous Home Health Aide Utilization Drop

In the last home health proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency in charge of reimbursement rates sent out a request for information on home health aide utilization. Specifically, the agency wondered why Medicare-covered home health aide visits and utilization had fallen off a cliff over the last […]

No Empty Promises: How Home-Based Care Providers Actually Plan To Use AI

Artificial intelligence is likely to be a society- and business-altering technological development. But, just like the advent of the internet before it, AI’s emergence will undoubtedly lead to as many empty promises from business leaders as it does actual use cases. That’ll particularly be the case in the early innings of AI, which I believe […]

Transactions: Legacy Care Partners Acquires Superior Home Health; SSM Health Bolsters Health at Home Arm

Legacy Care Partners Acquires Superior Home Health and Superior Hospice of Texas Legacy Care Partners – which also owns Advanced Home Care – has acquired Superior Home Health and Superior Hospice of Texas. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. “We extend a warm welcome to Superior Home Health and Superior Hospice into the Legacy […]

The Bottom Line: Top Billing, Financial Mistakes Responsible For Home Health Agency Struggles

Home health providers often make mistakes that leave money on the table at best, and at worst, lead to financial ruin.  However, providers that learn to avoid these stumbling blocks will be better positioned to achieve longevity and financial stability. In general, the home health consulting firm SimiTree has noticed an increase in the amount […]

Projecting The Most Impactful Home-Based Care M&A In Near-Term Future

Over the next 12-18 months, the mergers and acquisitions that do or do not take place in home-based care will tell a story worth listening to about the future of the space. The context has become monotonous to tell at this point: high interest rates are affecting dealmaking across the country; Medicare Advantage (MA) penetration […]