Premier Inc. insurance program distributes $3.1M to participating member hospitals
Premier Insurance Management Services Inc, a Premier Inc. (Charlotte, NC) company offering unique insurance programs and companion services designed to reduce risk exposures, lower costs and support operational efficiencies, has returned $3.1 million in profit sharing to 67 hospitals and health systems that participate in its excess workers’ compensation program with Safety National Casualty Corporation (SN) in fiscal year 2020.
The insurance program with SN, which was established in 2000, provides excess workers’ compensation insurance to hospitals and health systems. Active, qualifying policyholders in the Premier Insurance Management Services program have an opportunity to receive a portion of the policy year profits based on favorable program experience.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created more financial disruption for our member hospitals and health systems than any other period in memory,” said Joelle Hren, President of Premier Insurance Management Services. “The profit-sharing distribution to policyholders represents our ongoing commitment, partnership and unwavering support in meeting the needs of our members.”
More than $29 million has been distributed to policyholders since the program’s inception, Premier said.
Kindred Healthcare appoints new CFO
Kindred Healthcare, LLC (Louisville, KY) announced that Joel Day was named CFO, effective January 1, 2021. Day currently is SVP and Operations CFO, responsible for overseeing all strategic finance work for the enterprise.
He will succeed current CFO John Lucchese, who is retiring after nearly 25 years of service to Kindred at the end of the year.
The company also announced that Todd Flowers, SVP, Corporate Finance and Treasurer, will continue as Treasurer and assume additional responsibilities as CFO, Strategy and Support Services; and Julie Viers, VP and Controller, has been promoted to chief accounting officer. These appointments also are effective January 1, 2021.
Southeastern Health, UNC Health sign non-binding LOI for comprehensive management services agreement
Southeastern Health and UNC Health have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) for the two organizations to enter into a long-term comprehensive Management Services Agreement (MSA).
The proposed agreement will culminate in Southeastern Health becoming the 12th member of the UNC Health system. Southeastern Health intends to co-brand with UNC Health as UNC Health Southeastern.
The move will allow UNC Health more opportunities to recruit and retain additional highly-skilled physicians and other caregivers to the area as well as to maintain and grow the services Southeastern offers. Southeastern will benefit from the scale and expertise of UNC Health in areas such as clinical and organizational development initiatives, purchasing agreements, access to clinical and operational subject matter experts, and more, the organizations said in a press release.
Importantly, Southeastern will benefit from UNC Health’s existing population health management strategy and commitment to addressing health disparities with innovative, patient-centered solutions. “
The names of Southeastern Health’s locations will continue and will be co-branded to reflect the partnership with UNC Health.
The organizations hope to finalize the agreement later this year.
CMS adds 11 new telehealth services to Medicare coverage
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded the list of telehealth services that Medicare Fee-For-Service will pay for during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (PHE).
CMS is also providing additional support to state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies in their efforts to expand access to telehealth.
For the first time using a new expedited process, CMS is adding 11 new services to the Medicare telehealth services list since the publication of the May 1, 2020, COVID-19 Interim Final Rule with comment period (IFC). Medicare will begin paying eligible practitioners who furnish these newly added telehealth services effective immediately, and for the duration of the PHE.
These new telehealth services include:
- Certain neurostimulator analysis and programming services
- Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services.
Since the beginning of the public health emergency, CMS has added over 135 services to the Medicare telehealth services list – such as emergency department visits, initial inpatient and nursing facility visits, and discharge day management services.
With the latest action, Medicare will pay for 144 services performed via telehealth.
Scott and White Health Plan issues nearly $7M in health insurance rebates to North and Central Texas employers
Scott & White Care Plans, a subsidiary of Scott and White Health Plan and part of Baylor Scott & White Health (Dallas, TX), is issuing nearly $7 million in rebates to more than 130 large groups in North and Central Texas who had employer-sponsored HMO plans in 2019.
The Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) rebates are the result of effective care coordination and disease management efforts, the health system said.
Scott & White Care Plans members have access to the medical teams and facilities of the Baylor Scott & White Health system, which provides the full range of inpatient, outpatient, specialty, rehabilitation and emergency medical services. Scott & White Care Plans says that it anticipates even greater care coordination and savings opportunities in the year ahead.
Atrium Health, Wake Forest Baptist Health combine to create 42-hospital academic health system
Atrium Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health, including Wake Forest School of Medicine, officially joined together as a single enterprise, Atrium Health.
Wake Forest Baptist Health and Wake Forest School of Medicine will become the academic core of Atrium Health, building a second campus of the school of medicine in Charlotte. The growth of the school of medicine will expand existing academic research capabilities in a way that expands opportunities for clinical trials across a large, diverse market with some of the nation’s leading medical experts, Atrium said.
The combined entity has 42 hospitals and more than 1,500 care locations as well as over 70,000 employees.
Eugene A. Woods, president and CEO of the new Atrium Health, has been appointed president and CEO of the combined enterprise, guiding the strategic direction of the newly created next-generation academic health system, encompassing 42 hospitals and more than 1,500 care locations.
Dr. Julie Ann Freischlag, CEO of Wake Forest Baptist Health and dean of Wake Forest School of Medicine, has been named the chief academic officer for Atrium Health, in addition to her current role as CEO of Wake Forest Baptist Health and dean of Wake Forest School of Medicine. She will focus on driving leading-edge, experiential medical education and training for its academic mission and re-imagining the future of basic science and translational research.