- CMS Innovation Center leaders outlined the agency’s strategy to drive health care transformation. The strategy consists of five goals: 1) increase the number of people in relationships with providers that are accountable for patients’ costs and improving their care history, 2) advance health equity through data collection and engaging more rural health centers and safety net providers, 3) support innovation by offering actionable and practice-specific data technology, best practices, and peer-to-peer learning collaborative., 4) address affordability, and 5) partner with communities in the policymaking and implementation process and use consistent mechanisms for gathering outside input insight and support in testing new approaches to payment and care delivery. (Article here)
- Senator Chris Van Hollen introduced the Easy Enrollment in Health Care Act to make it easier for Americans to understand their health insurance options and enroll in a plan. If enacted, the legislation would use federal income tax returns to help people sign up for minimum essential coverage. The legislation has support from some insurance groups including the Alliance for Community Health Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association along with government insurer Centene. (Article here)
- An Office of Inspector General report found that UnitedHealth Group Inc. listed patient conditions that were not verified by outside medical claims. In doing so, the insurer yielded $3.7 billion in Medicare Advantage payments in 2016. UnitedHealthcare also accounted for half of all payments the federal government paid for HRAs in 2016, nearly all of which were only reported through in-home vendor visits. A UnitedHealthcare spokesperson said the inspector general’s findings were incorrect and based on outdated information. (Article here)
October 21, 2021
Payers