WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 8, 2021)—Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model has been certified for expansion through rulemaking beginning no sooner than Calendar Year (CY) 2022. The model, implemented in nine states, has resulted in an average 4.6% improvement in home health agencies’ quality scores as well as average annual savings of $141 million to Medicare.

SUNRISE, Fla., (January 8, 2021)—Interim HealthCare Inc., the nation's leading franchise network of home care, senior care, home health and hospice and health care staffing services, names Ethan Sowell, physical therapist, as the 2020 Therapist of the Year. Ethan earned widespread appreciation from patients and leaders for his commitment to delivering compassionate care and supporting the mission of Interim HealthCare of the Upstate in South Carolina.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. & NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 6, 2021)—Optum, a diversified health services company and part of UnitedHealth Group, and Change Healthcare, a health care technology leader, have agreed to combine. Change Healthcare will join with OptumInsight to provide software and data analytics, technology-enabled services and research, advisory and revenue cycle management offerings to help make health care work better for everyone.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 6, 2021)—Occupational therapy practitioners are celebrating passage of the large year-end omnibus legislative package because one measure will ease access to therapy for our nation’s most vulnerable populations. The Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act (H.R. 3127/S. 1725) was enacted among multiple health care priorities when signed into law on Dec.

MELVILLE, N.Y. (January 6, 2021)—Henry Schein, Inc., the world’s largest provider of health care solutions to office-based dental and medical practitioners, today announced the acquisition of a majority ownership position in Prism Medical Products, LLC (PRISM), a nationwide provider of specialty home medical supplies with a core competency in advanced wound care products. With this transaction, Henry Schein Medical, the U.S.