Insights on the Homefront

Turn-Key Health, a CareCentrix company, has reimagined the home as a destination of care for seriously ill patients. In our latest white paper, “Building a Better Model for Care at Home,” we demonstrate how home-based palliative care (HBPC) for individuals with a serious or advanced illness successfully aligns treatment decisions with personal goals, preferences and values; enables payors to reduce emergency department visits, hospitalizations and 30-day readmissions; addresses clinical and non-clinical issues, such as social determinants of health (SDoH); and provides an opportunity to enhance member and caregiver engagement and care coordination.  

Family caregivers for seriously ill patients play an important role in society. Not only do they provide emotional and physical support for their loved one, but they also assume the responsibilities of preparing meals, providing transportation, maintaining the home, managing medications and coordinating doctor’s appointments. This critical role is often essential for keeping the individual safe and well cared for at home and preventing avoidable emergency department visits and hospitalization.

The role of caregiver is often vital in families to ensure the health and well-being of those they love. During the recent COVID pandemic, the lines between providing family caregiving locally or remotely have blurred. Each caregiver has his or her own story.

The FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccines is welcomed and offers home-based palliative care clinicians much-needed hope during a challenging time. These hard-working professionals have dealt with limited in-home visits for seriously ill patients while working to prevent hospitalizations, support advance care planning, provide relief to caregivers and ensure that patients have food, medications and social contact — while keeping themselves and their own families safe.

Throughout the health care community, there is increasing recognition of the significant impact of social determinants of health (SDoH) on individual health and quality of life. COVID-19 has exacerbated social isolation and loneliness, limited food access, and highlighted financial, housing and employment insecurities and transportation issues.

Turn-Key Health, a CareCentrix company, recognizes the critical role of family caregivers and their ongoing support, especially those who support loved ones with serious illness.  As we celebrate National Family Caregivers Month this November, we acknowledge their tireless efforts to optimize individual patient care and care coordination and improve quality of life in the home.

On September 24, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the average premium for a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan in 2021 would drop by an average of 34% compared to the 2017 premium. CMS also revealed that record number of MA plans would be offering in-home benefits.