Revenue Cycle and Payer News – January 19, 2022

TOPICS:

Posted By: Annmarie Budniak January 19, 2022

Collaboration News:

Walnut and Tripment Health Announce Strategic Partnership
Tripment Health (@tripmenthealth), a nationwide digital healthcare marketplace that provides access to affordable healthcare, and Walnut, a payment method that provides consumers a transparent way to pay for healthcare over time, announced a partnership that integrates Walnut’s buy-now-pay-later product into Tripment’s booking platform.

Vancouver Clinic and Humana Introduce New Primary Care Practice Designed to Enhance Medicare Advantage Experience
Vancouver Clinic and Humana have teamed up to bring additional access to patient-focused primary care to Gresham, Oregon. Enliven by Vancouver Clinic(Enliven) recently opened its doors for the first time at 340 NW Burnside.

Company News:

KindHealth Launches KindIQ, a Health Insurance Marketplace Builder
KindHealth announces the rebranding of its health insurance marketplace builder as KindIQ, part of an effort to allow for an easier entry into the fast-growing health insurance market.

Cigna Recognized as One of America’s Best Corporate Citizens For the Third Time by JUST Capital and CNBC
Cigna Corporation (@cigna), a global health service company, was named one of America’s Most JUST Companies, making this the third year that the organization has been recognized for its corporate citizenship. The company has taken leadership positions on a variety of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues including pay parity, workforce diversity, climate impact, and community involvement.

UnitedHealthcare Enhances Eye Care Program by Helping Reduce People’s Exposure to Blue Light
UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (@uhc) company, is investing in new ways to help children and adults across the country reduce their exposure to blue light and support their overall eye health, amid ongoing use of screens during COVID-19 and the greater reliance on remote school and work.

Ranmali Bopitiya Joins Oscar Health as Chief Legal Officer
Oscar Health, Inc. (@OscarHealth), a health insurance company built on a full stack technology platform, announced that it has hired Ranmali Bopitiya as its new Chief Legal Officer, effective January 31, 2022. Ranmali will serve on Oscar’s leadership team and will report to Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, Mario Schlosser.

Humana Names Dr. Andrew Agwunobi President of Company’s Home Solutions Business
Health insurer and health care services company Humana (@Humana) has hired health care industry veteran Andrew (Andy) Agwunobi, M.D., MBA, as the new President of the company’s Home Solutions business. Dr. Agwunobi comes to Humana from the University of Connecticut, where he currently serves as interim University President, and as CEO of the UConn Health System. In his new role, Dr. Agwunobi will report directly to Humana President and CEO Bruce Broussard and will serve as a member of Humana’s Management Team, effective Feb. 21.

UnitedHealthcare Awards Community Grants to Three Organizations Focused on Improving Health Equity and Addressing Social Determinants in Michigan
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Michigan has awarded $75,000 in community grants to three organizations focused on improving maternal and infant health outcomes and combating addiction in Michigan.

Policy News:

Biden-Harris Administration Requires Insurance Companies and Group Health Plans to Cover the Cost of At-Home COVID-19 Tests, Increasing Access to Free Tests
As part of its ongoing efforts across many channels to expand Americans’ access to free testing, the Biden-Harris Administration is requiring insurance companies and group health plans to cover the cost of over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests, so people with private health coverage can get them for free starting January 15th. The new coverage requirement means that most consumers with private health coverage can go online or to a pharmacy or store, buy a test, and either get it paid for up front by their health plan, or get reimbursed for the cost by submitting a claim to their plan. This requirement incentivizes insurers to cover these costs up front and ensures individuals do not need an order from their health care provider to access these tests for free.

All-Time High: 13.6 Million People Signed Up for Health Coverage on the ACA Insurance Marketplaces With a Month of Open Enrollment Left to Go
This year’s Open Enrollment Period is outpacing all previous years, a historic high of more than 13.6 million people already enrolled in health insurance coverage for 2022 through HealthCare.gov and State-based Marketplaces (SBMs). The American Rescue Plan (ARP) has made coverage more affordable and accessible for people across the country: 92% of people in HealthCare.gov states who signed up for plans through December 15, 2021, will receive premium tax credits for 2022 coverage. Moreover, more than 400,000 people will receive tax credits for 2022 coverage, to date, that would have been inaccessible to them prior to the ARP. Since President Biden took office, more than 4.6 million Americans have newly gained health care coverage.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Statement on Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Testing Guidance
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (@BCBSAssociation) President and CEO Kim Keck issued the following statement on the administration’s over-the-counter COVID-19 testing guidance.

To Read:

How New York could cover its 1 million uninsured residents By City & State New York – The Citizens Budget Commission and Community Service Society of New York – a right-of-center fiscal watchdog and the left-wing anti-poverty organization, respectively – teamed up on a new report that provides cost estimates for five different routes the state could take to cover uninsured New Yorkers. They include the creation of a public option, expanding state subsidies and, in what perhaps could become the most contentious option, providing state-funded health insurance to undocumented immigrants.

Upcoming Events:

National Conference on Health Policy and Government Health Programs (@ahipcoverage)
What: National Conference on Health Policy and Government Health Programs
When: March 14 – 17, 2022
Where: Washington, D.C. and Virtual
Register here.

National Conference on Health Policy and Government Health Programs – In March, AHIP’s National Health Policy Conference and AHIP’s National Conferences on Medicare, Medicaid & Dual Eligibles will combine to create one powerful new experience. Expect AHIP’s signature brand of high caliber content, hear from renowned policy experts, government officials, and health care leaders, and engage with innovators focused on building a more equitable and sustainable health care system…plus so much more.

AHIP 2022 (@ahipcoverage)
What: AHIP 2022. (Formerly AHIP Institute & Expo)
When: June 21 – 23, 2022
Where: Las Vegas, NV
Register here.

AHIP 2022 – What’s next for your members and the communities you serve? Find it at AHIP 2022. (Formerly AHIP Institute & Expo.) Health care’s essential event has a new name that prioritizes what’s next right now, building on AHIP’s decades-long heritage of bringing together the people, ideas, and solutions guiding greater health.