Rowan argues that Medicare Advantage, despite being designed to extend the Medicare Trust Fund’s lifespan, is actually more expensive and more profitable for insurance companies, potentially due to practices such as padding patient assessments and denying care.
Dr. Steve Landers has long been eloquent in his speaking and writing about the importance of Home Health over the years. Though I was already impressed, I gained a new level of respect this week. Simultaneously with his debut as CEO of the new Alliance, Dr. Landers released an article about a recent study on the impact of Medicare Advantage on Medicare beneficiaries.
It is an article that everyone in our healthcare sector should read.
In “Home Health Cuts and Barriers are Life and Death Issues for Medicare Beneficiaries,” Dr. Landers points readers toward a study conducted by Dr. Elan Gada of UnitedHealthcare’s Optum Group. The results are disturbing. That the findings were released by a Medicare Advantage company is surprising.
Landers cited the study’s primary finding. “Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in their plan who did not receive needed home health care after hospitalization were 42% more likely to die in the 30 days following a hospital stay than those who received the prescribed care.” If a drug proved to be as effective as post-discharge home healthcare in saving lives, Landers wrote, “it would dominate the news, restricting access would be considered immoral, and health officials would be pushing its adoption.”
Rowan, T. (2024, October 31). UnitedHealth Study: Is Medicare Advantage Killing Seniors. The Rowan Report. https://www.therowanreport.com/2024/10/25/is-medicare-advantage-killing-seniors/
Improve Medicare Advantage reimbursements with payer contract management that puts payer rules in the hands of clinicians & billers.
