Revenue Cycle and Payer News 9-1-2021

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Posted By: Annmarie Budniak September 1, 2021

Collaboration News:

Aetna and ACES enhance relationship and create Aetna’s first Institute of Quality for autism
Aetna®, a CVS Health company (@cvshealth), and ACES 2020, LLC announced an enhanced relationship to improve the quality of life for individuals and families impacted with autism spectrum disorder or other special needs. Through a new national agreement, effective August 1, 2021, Aetna members now have access to value-based autism care from ACES clinical providers.

CareSource Partners with Akron Children’s Hospital to Create Coordinated Care Model
CareSource (@caresource), a nationally-recognized nonprofit health plan, announced a value-based partnership with Akron Children’s Hospital to improve health and outcomes for thousands of children in Northeast Ohio who rely on Medicaid. The agreement between the health insurer and the hospital system focuses on improving outcomes for children and reducing the overall cost of health care.

Health Organizations Medica and SSM Health Form Strategic Relationship to Drive Innovation and Improve Quality of Care
Medica (@Medica4Me) and SSM Health —both Midwest non-profit health organizations — announced they will form a strategic relationship to bring their complementary strengths together to drive innovative value-driven health care solutions for members across the communities they serve.

Financial News:

Oscar Health, Inc. Announces 2022 Market Expansion Plans, Culturally Competent Care Focus
Oscar Health, Inc. (@OscarHealth), the first health insurance company built on a full stack technology platform, announced its Individual & Family market expansion plans for 2022. During the upcoming Open Enrollment period, the company plans to offer health insurance to individuals and families in 3 new states and 146 new counties. With this expansion, Oscar will have a footprint in a total of 22 states and 607 counties across its Individual & Family, Medicare Advantage, and Small Group (including Cigna+Oscar) plans.

Cigna Announces $2 Billion Accelerated Stock Repurchase Agreements
Cigna Corporation will repurchase $2.0 billion of common stock through accelerated stock repurchase agreements with each of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. The ASRs are part of Cigna’s existing share repurchase program, which had remaining authority of $3.8 billion as of August 4, 2021.

Humana Board Declares Payment of Quarterly Dividend to Stockholders
Humana Inc. (@Humana) announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend to stockholders of $0.70 per share payable on October 29, 2021 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 30, 2021.

Company News:

CVS Health launches first nationwide virtual primary care solution
Aetna announced an innovative health care solution, Aetna Virtual Primary Care, that reimagines the primary care experience and makes it easier for people to get the health services they need, anytime, anywhere.

Humana Completes Acquisition of Kindred at Home
Humana Inc. announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Kindred at Home (KAH), the nation’s largest home health and hospice provider. With the addition of Kindred at Home, Humana is now the nation’s largest provider of care in the home, significantly strengthening its ability to provide high-quality, whole-person healthcare that can improve patient health outcomes on a much broader scale.

State of Nevada Selects UnitedHealthcare to Serve its Medicaid Beneficiaries
The state of Nevada has selected Health Plan of Nevada, a UnitedHealthcare company (@UnitedHealthGrp), as one of four managed care organizations to administer its Medicaid program in the counties of Clark and Washoe, effective Jan. 1, 2022. The four-year base contract includes the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Medicaid expansion programs.

Cigna Expands, Enhances ACA Marketplace Plans to Increase Access to Quality Care in More Communities
Cigna (@Cigna) is expanding its offerings to customers who access health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. During the upcoming Open Enrollment Period, Cigna plans will be available to Marketplace customers in three new states – Georgia, Mississippi and Pennsylvania – as well as in additional counties in Arizona, Florida and Virginia.

Reports:

UPDATED RELEASE: New Report: Potential Costs to Seniors of Adding Dental, Hearing, and Vision Benefits to Traditional Medicare
America’s seniors deserve better health care and services at a better value. If Congress makes the decision to add new health care services to original Medicare, it must be done without harming the 27 million Americans who have Medicare Advantage (MA). A new analysis from Wakely Consulting Group, funded by AHIP, finds that if Congress adds these benefits to original Medicare without adjusting the Medicare Advantage benchmark*, an MA plan would have an average of 48-73% fewer rebate dollars available to fund innovative benefits such as transportation, meals, in-home services and supports, over-the-counter medicines, or other benefits that the more than 41% of Medicare-eligible Americans have come to rely on. That amounts to $696-$1,056 a year that a senior or person with disabilities would lose in added benefits that close gaps in care, improve health equity, or offset the impact of social factors on people’s health.

To Read:

About 1.6 mln more Americans had health insurance in 2020 – CDC by Reuters – About 1.6 million more Americans had some form of health insurance coverage despite the COVID-19 crisis last year, helped mainly by enrollment growth in government-sponsored health plans, early data from a U.S. government office showed.

Upcoming Events:

AHIP National Conference on Medicare, Medicaid & Dual Eligilbles Online (@ahipcoverage)
What: National Conference on Medicare, Medicaid & Dual Eligilbles Online
When: September 21 – 24, 2021
Where: Virtual

National Conference on Medicare, Medicaid & Dual Eligilbles Online – As health care continues to dominate the national conversation, it’s more essential than ever to participate in the National Conference on Medicare, Medicaid and Dual Eligibles. We’ll take a closer look at the policy, regulatory, and operational issues affecting Medicare Advantage and Part D, Medicaid managed care, and programs to better serve those who are dually eligible.