Medicare Updates

Humana Introduces Affordable Hearing Aid Benefit in Medicare Advantage Plans Available in Washington State

Benefit offered through TruHearing relationship should improve access to hearing tests and increase affordability for hearing aids

Medicare beneficiaries in select counties in Washington state will soon have better access to hearing examinations and affordable hearing aids thanks to Humana’s Medicare Advantage Plans teaming up with TruHearing, a hearing health care services and hearing aids company.

One in four Americans 70 years and over has a hearing impairment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Traditionally, hearing aids have been unaffordable and out-of-reach for many Medicare beneficiaries. According to a National Academies of Sciences report on hearing aid affordability, the average retail price of two hearing aids in 2013 was approximately $4,700. Original Medicare covers diagnostic hearing exams if a patient’s health care provider orders the test to see if medical treatment is needed. Otherwise, original Medicare does not cover hearing exams, hearing aids, or exams to fit hearing aids.

Humana is including this hearing aid benefit on certain Medicare Advantage plans offered for the 2017 plan year in Washington state. The benefit allows for one annual routine hearing exam at no cost to the member and introduces a copayment for hearing aids, simplifying the cost. Members will be able to obtain two hearing aids per year (one per ear) with the choice of a standard TruHearing hearing aid for a $699 copay or a premium TruHearing hearing aid for a $999 copay; copays are per hearing aid. Members who don’t have access to these plans may still have access to Humana Medicare Advantage plans that include hearing aid benefits through other companies that provide hearing services and hearing aids. However, these benefits typically have a $1,000 hearing aid allowance, rather than fixed copays.

TruHearing hearing aids include three provider visits for fittings and evaluations within the first year of the hearing aid purchase, a 45-day trial period, a three-year extended warranty and 48 batteries per aid – all at no extra cost to the member. The hearing aids offer wireless connectivity to your phone or tablet and come in a variety of sizes, colors, and styles.

The hearing aid benefit is offered on Humana Medicare Advantage HMO plans available in Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, and Thurston counties. People with Medicare may select these plans during the annual Medicare enrollment period, which runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2016. Those selecting a plan with this option will be able to start using the benefit Jan. 1, 2017.

“Hearing is an important part of our everyday lives. Studies have shown that hearing loss is associated with depression and anxiety, which can impact a person’s relationship with friends and family and their participation in social activities,” said Catherine Field, Intermountain Vice President for Humana’s Senior Products. “The new hearing aid benefit with TruHearing not only helps take the guesswork out of the cost of a hearing aid, but will also go a long way to helping our members hear better, improving their overall health and well-being.”

Washington state Medicare beneficiaries living in Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, and Thurston counties who are interested in the hearing aid benefit should visit www.Humana-Medicare.com to research these plans and learn more about this and other plan benefits.

Humana to Add Acupuncture Coverage for Medicare Advantage Plans in Select Washington State Counties

Humana Medicare Advantage Plan beneficiaries will be covered for acupuncture treatments in select counties in Washington state (including King, Snohomish, Pierce, Thurston, Clark and Spokane). This is the first time Humana has offered an acupuncture benefit in their Medicare Advantage plans. The benefit includes an initial consultation and up to six visits for a $10 copay.

This is significant because traditional Medicare does not cover acupuncture, and most Medicare Advantage plans don’t either. Yet, seniors are disproportionately affected by so many of the chronic conditions that acupuncture can treat, such as chronic neck and back pain and degenerative arthritis of various joints, such as knees, shoulders and hands. Unfortunately, most seniors have to pay out of pocket, which is a significant obstacle for those with limited income.

Humana to Add Iora Health®’s New Primary Care Practices Designed for Medicare Beneficiaries to Medicare Advantage Plan Networks in Washington

Medicare beneficiaries will have more choices when seeking care designed for their needs

To offer patient-focused care for Medicare beneficiaries, Iora Health and Humana Inc. have teamed up to add additional Iora Primary Care practices to Humana’s Medicare Advantage Plan networks in Washington state.

Humana is adding these new Iora Primary Care practice locations to its network in an effort to improve access to care and quality of care while increasing patients’ ability to manage their own care to improve their health and well-being. The new practices, operated by Iora Health, accept certain Medicare Advantage plans administered by Humana and do not accept Medicare Advantage plans administered by other carriers.

Humana’s value-based relationships with providers, like Iora, are aimed at transforming health care by offering proactive, personalized care for Medicare beneficiaries. Humana and Iora strive to meet monthly to review member cases and issues. This helps ensure that members aren’t simply treated for what ails them, but are also provided with a more comprehensive team working on a plan to keep them on the path to their best health and ensuring they receive a health care experience designed with their needs foremost in mind.

The new Iora Health® Primary Care practices are located at:

• Washington state: 1414 S. 324th Street, Ste. B207, Federal Way, WA 98003

“At Iora we believe that relationships are the missing link in health care. However, we find that Medicare-eligible patients rarely receive enough time with their doctor, or the support and tools necessary to cope with a complex health care system,” said Duncan Reece, General Manager and Vice President for Iora Health. “In just the first year, our Net Promoter Scores® - at 90% - are consistently higher than most consumer brands¹ and hospitalization rates declined by 40 percent for our patients who have been engaged for at least one year².”

Iora Primary Care practices focus on a patient-first experience, which is tailored to the needs of each patient. Iora® offers:

• Smaller panel sizes than the industry average so that doctors can spend more time listening to patients’ needs.

• Integrated care team that includes doctors, Health Coaches, and Behavioral Health Specialists, who all help guide patients through the complex health system and ensure their care addresses the whole person, not just symptoms.

• Convenience: 24/7 access to doctors by phone for urgent needs, same/next day appointments, onsite labs, and locations with free parking.

• Access to Iora’s Chirp technology, a proprietary medical record that patients can use to schedule appointments, access their records, and email with the care team.

• Close collaboration with in-network specialists with whom Iora has built relationships.

• Staff familiarity with the member’s Medicare Advantage insurance, since the practice only accepts Medicare Advantage plans administered by Humana, which simplifies billing issues/questions.

This is the third consecutive year Iora Health and Humana have teamed up. The organizations first teamed up in 2014 and again in 2015. The new practices mean that Humana Medicare Advantage members have access to Iora®’s 16 primary care practices – five in Phoenix metro, two in Tucson, five in Denver and four in Seattle.

“We are seeing encouraging results in our Humana Medicare Advantage members who go to an Iora Primary Care practice. That’s why we are excited to partner with Iora for the third straight year to offer our members access to Iora’s primary care practices in more areas of Arizona, Colorado and Washington state,” said Mark El-Tawil, West Division Leader for Humana. “Humana’s strong Medicare capabilities and Iora’s passionate focus on patient care allows us to collaborate in order to offer our Humana members a health care that is transformational with a focus on getting and keeping these member healthy.”

This article is sponsored by Humana