Millions of people – children, adults, and seniors – need to access long-term services and supports (LTSS) as a result of disabling conditions and chronic illnesses. In 2020, an estimated 5.8 million people used LTSS delivered in home and community settings, and 1.9...

Chronic disease is a significant driver of healthcare costs, making the need for better chronic care management an urgent one.  Those living with chronic conditions interact with the healthcare system in unique ways and as the number of chronic conditions increases,...

Most benefit coordination is bogged down by time-consuming tasks– phone calls, faxes, multiple emails–to identify and activate services for members. And as people continue to age in place, the demand for a full range of services to support them intensifies.  Jacqui...

As of April, Medicaid was serving almost one in four Americans. However, most Medicaid plans struggle to unlock benefits and coordinate personal services that could help seniors stay in their homes safely and longer. This was a central theme of the recent Home and...

Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment has been on a steady climb for the past two decades following changes in policy designed to encourage a robust role for private plan options in Medicare.  In 2023, 30.8 million people are enrolled in a MA plan, accounting for 51%...

Supporting people who are aging in place often requires basic home modifications like removing trip hazards and installing grab bars, handrails and other assistive devices. These changes can help people reduce the risk of falls and stay home safely. “Aging in place...

The continued growth in the Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) space is tempered only by the frustration associated with members who can (and do) switch throughout the course of the year. The 2023 Dual Eligible Retention Study from Deft Research found that dual eligible...

Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment has been on a steady climb for the past two decades following changes in policy designed to encourage a robust role for private plan options in Medicare. In 2023, 30.8 million people are enrolled in a MA plan, accounting for more...

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have long been accountable for quality performance, and Stars, the CMS quality assessment program, is an important measure. CMS Star Ratings help MA plans attract members and earn financial incentives. Plans with higher Star Ratings are...

As Americans age, their desire to stay in their homes remains steadfast. According to the AARP, 77% of adults aged 50 and older want to remain in their homes for the long term — a number that has remained unchanged for more than 10 years now.  But unexpected medical...

The number of Medicare Advantage (MA) Special Needs Plans (SNPs) has surged in enrollment, growing its member base by more than twofold from 2020 to 2022. This influx of new members has generated an opportunity to achieve better health outcomes for targeted groups of...

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans work hard to be highly responsive to member needs, whether it's meal delivery, transportation, home modification or other in-home supplemental services. To deliver a five-star experience, many innovative health plans have made an...

Since CMS began allowing Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to offer supplemental benefits, the popularity of those benefits has taken off. In just three years, the number of plans offering In-Home Support Services (IHSS) has skyrocketed by 364%, and plans with caregiver...

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have seen a 35% upswing in supplemental benefits nationwide – most notably for in-home services. Regulatory changes now enable MA plans to offer members expanded non-medical supplemental benefits, including those that address...

Today, the average Medicare beneficiary can choose from 43 Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. As care continues to move into the home, MA is on track to become a major payer for non-medical home-based benefits. In fact, over the last year, there was a 35 percent increase...