Humana is working on another way to address social determinants of health through a new value-based care payment initiative targeting food insecurity, social isolation, loneliness and housing insecurity. Oschner Health, the largest non-profit, academic healthcare system in Louisiana, is the first participant in the program.
The new program, dubbed the Social Determinants of Health Value-Based Program, adds another holistic layer to Humana’s services. The company, which is based in Louisville, Kentucky, and is one of the nation’s largest health insurers, has increased its focus on providing supplemental services, in particular through Medicare Advantage and value-based care.
The new model gives providers tools and resources to address these issues and will compensate for care coordination of patient screenings, documentation of assessment findings and connecting the patient to appropriate resources. The program will work through existing value-based care contracts across Humana and its healthcare providers.
“Humana is committed to advancing the transformation to value-based care, and incorporating a focus on social determinants of health is the logical next step in that evolution,” Caraline Coats, vice president of population health strategy at Humana, said in a statement. “Through this program, Humana is pleased to invest in a new approach that includes focusing on nonclinical barriers to health. We’re better able to support clinicians as they broaden the scope of patient care to improve health outcomes.”
Humana has more than 2.4 million individual MA plan members and 4.4 million MA members in total.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."