Tag: Medicare Advantage

87 Contracts Score 5 Stars on 2022 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings

87 Contracts Score 5 Stars on 2022 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings

On average, Medicare Advantage-prescription drug plans scored 4.37 stars for the 2022 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings. Over nine in ten Medicare Advantage-prescription drug plans (94.26 percent) received a 3.5 star rating or higher on the 2022 Medicare Advantage Star Ratings, with an average star rating of 4.37 stars, CMS announced. In contrast, in 2019 over […]
Steps Employers Can Take To Implement Advanced Primary Care

Steps Employers Can Take To Implement Advanced Primary Care

Advanced primary care can help employers control costs and coordinate care, but many employers do not know how to start and scale such a solution in their employer-sponsored health plans, according to a report from the Duke-Margolis Center. Primary care is an essential part of preventing high-cost health conditions among employees. However, only slightly more […]
Prime Healthcare hospitals cut ties with UnitedHealthcare, citing low reimbursement

Prime Healthcare hospitals cut ties with UnitedHealthcare, citing low reimbursement

Prime’s New Jersey hospitals will continue to honor the rates and services in the agreements until the end of the cooling off period. The decision impacts Saint Clare’s Health in Denville, Dover and Boonton, Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark, and Saint Mary’s General Hospital in Passaic. Dr. Sonia Mehta, regional CEO and chief medical […]
CMS Sets Medicare Reimbursement Rate for COVID-19 Vaccine

CMS Sets Medicare Reimbursement Rate for COVID-19 Vaccine

A new interim final rule with comment period ensures Medicare reimbursement for the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine and provider use of innovative treatments for the novel coronavirus. The rule released last night states that Medicare will pay providers $28.39 for the administration of a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine. In the event an approved COVID-19 vaccine requires multiple […]
Medicare Advantage And The Future Of Value-Based Care

Medicare Advantage And The Future Of Value-Based Care

The Medicare Advantage (MA) program, which allows Medicare beneficiaries to voluntarily enroll in a private plan that administers health benefits, was established by the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 as a vehicle to bring private-sector competition and innovation to Medicare beneficiaries. When the program was announced, the goal was to create greater competition on […]
Medicare Advantage Plan Denials

Medicare Advantage Plan Denials: Is That Convoluted or What?

Medicare Advantage Plan contracts are “take-it-or-leave-it” agreements Many questions are swirling about regarding Medicare Advantage Plan (MAP) denials asking what to do about the increasing number and given reasons.  I’ve heard or read some amazing stories where payers have gone to astounding lengths to deny claims.  Answers are also swirling about based on understandings of […]
Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage Dual Eligible’s Have Fewer ER Visits Than Those Under FFS

Dual eligible Medicare Advantage beneficiaries had 42.1% less emergency room visits than their fee-for-service counterparts. The cost of care and rate of hospitalizations for dual eligible Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries was considerably lower than dual eligibles under fee-for-service (FFS), according to an Avalere Health study released Tuesday evening. Dual eligible Medicare Advantage (MA) populations averaged healthcare […]