Month: December 2018

CMS finalizes ACO overhaul, shortening pathway for financial risk

Post author By Jim Nonneman
Post date December 28, 2018

Fierce Healthcare | by Evan Sweeney | Dec 21, 2018

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized substantial changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), an overhaul that will truncate the time that Accountable Care Organizations can remain in one-sided risk models.

CMS said the highly-anticipated 957-page final rule (PDF) issued Friday morning “dramatically redesigns” the program to ensure more ACOs in the program take on real risk. When the proposed rule was issued over the summer, CMS Administrator Seema Verma emphasized the need to shift ACOs to take on more financial risk, adding that the agency wants to “start working with ACOs that are serious about delivering value.” Read the article…

HBPC in the News

7 Signs Your Family Could Benefit From a Healthcare Provider In the Home

Post author By Jim Nonneman
Post date December 20, 2018

Article: Women Fitness Magazine

Whether you’re caring for an aging parent or an ailing spouse, there’s no denying that taking on the role of a caregiver can prove extremely demanding. As much as you care for your loved one, the emotional and physical strain can sometimes prove too much to bear.

In fact, one third of all caregivers report feeling “highly stressed.” In such situations, hiring a professional in-home healthcare provider could make all the difference for your family.

To learn more about the importance of in-home healthcare providers, I spoke with Jason Bliss, co-founder of Healthy Living Network, about the warning signs that caregivers should watch for that indicate they need help. Read more…

Researchers Make the Case for Home-based Medical Care

Post author By Jim Nonneman
Post date December 13, 2018

frail seniors

Dec 12, 2018, American Academy of Family Physicians

Frail Seniors Need Access to Care

Home-based medical care for frail older adults makes a lot of sense. Evidence demonstrating that physicians and other clinicians can deliver high-quality, cost-saving care to these patients is mounting, and use of these services is increasing nationwide.

For instance, research shows that in 2013, more than 7,000 clinicians made 2.5 million medical visits to private residences of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries.

But gaps in delivery of this care still exist. Authors of research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society examined trends in use of home-based care as well as the characteristics of patients receiving this care. Read the full article

HBPC in the News Uncategorized

Does Medicare Cover Doctor House Calls?

Post author By Jim Nonneman
Post date December 5, 2018

UNITED STATES—Toni: My 86-year-old mother with Alzheimer’s needs 24-hour care and lives in a local personal care home. She is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage HMO and taking her to the doctor is quite an ordeal.

Friends have suggested that I dis-enroll my mother from this HMO and return her to Medicare, then use a “House Call doctor.” Financially, it is costing over $4,000 per month for her personal care home and what happens if my mother does not qualify for a Medicare Supplement due to her Alzheimer’s and other health issues.

How do I find a doctor that makes house calls like Dr. Welby did in the “good old days?” Is this something that Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan will pay for it? Thanks, Trish from Crowley, LA Trish:

Read the article by Toni King: