CMS Restores Optional Benefits for Independent Homecare Aids

BIRMINGHM, Ala. (May 13, 2022)—Medicaid can directly pay for independent home health aides' benefits, including health insurance and skills training, according to a final rule the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued Thursday. The final rule allows State Medicaid agencies to provide home health aides not working with an agency employee benefit premiums and union dues deducted from their paychecks. 

Best Life Brands Achieves Milestone Of 500 Locations

TROY, Mich. (May 12, 2022)—Best Life Brands, LLC, a multi-brand franchised organization that includes Blue Moon Estate Sales, CarePatrol, ComForCare, At Your Side Home Care, and Boost Home Healthcare has achieved 500 franchise locations across all brands in the United States and Canada. The milestone underscores the company’s position as the premier organization serving people along the continuum of care.

Alliance for Home Health Quality and Innovation Adopts New Name

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 10, 2022)—The Alliance for Home Health Quality and Innovation, a 501(c)3 research foundation, will operate under a new name—Research Institute for Home Care—and adopt a new tagline: "Advancing homecare through research." In announcing the change, the institute will focus on improving access to and delivery of care in the home by promoting research to inform policy and identify best practices and patient care models.

HHS OIG: Medicare Advantage Organizations Issued Inappropriate Denials

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 3, 2022)—Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) sometimes delayed or denied beneficiaries access to services according to a recent Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) report. The denials occurred even when the requests met Medicare coverage rules. MAOs also denied payments to providers for some services that met both Medicare coverage rules and MAO billing rules.

CareCentrix Names Carmella Sebastian Chief Medical Officer

HARTFORD, Conn. (May 3, 2022)—CareCentrix, a home-centered care company, has named longtime health plan executive and physician Carmella Sebastian, M.D., M.S., as chief medical officer. Sebastian most recently served as vice president of clinical operations at Oscar Health, and before that, held leadership roles at Florida Blue, Humana, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Report: Providers in Value-Based Purchasing Model Have Higher Performance Scores

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 28, 2022)—Home health providers participating in the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) model are performing 7% better than their counterparts, according to a new report from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovations (CMMI). The model covers Medicare-certified home health providers in Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, Washington, Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska and Tennessee. 

Homewatch CareGivers Announces Multiple New Partnerships to Expand Care Services

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (April 28, 2022)—Homewatch CareGivers, a provider of full-service homecare, is furthering its mission to provide tailored services to communities around the country with the announcement of its collaborations with Chefs For Seniors, healthAlign acquired by The Helper Bees, Viventium and Paradigm Senior Services.

Anelto Partners with BioIntelliSense

THE COLONY, TEXAS (April 28, 2022)—Anelto, a provider of remote patient monitoring (RPM) solutions, announced it has entered into a channel partnership with BioIntelliSense, Inc., a continuous health monitoring and clinical intelligence company, to integrate BioIntelliSense's FDA-cleared BioSticker and BioButton wearable medical devices and data services with Anelto's RemoteCareLive! RPM platform.