Humana Maintains Primary Care Access for Medicare Advantage Members

Humana has signed a five-year agreement with ChenMed, solidifying access to in-network, senior-focused primary care for Medicare Advantage members.

The agreement continues the decades-long relationship between Humana and ChenMed and ensures Humana’s Medicare Advantage population will maintain access to Chen Senior Medical Center, Dedicated Senior Medical Center, and JenCare Senior Medical Center. The contract also provides CarePlus Medicare Advantage members in Florida access to these facilities.

“Specialized primary care facilities focused on seniors’ unique needs have a proven positive impact on health outcomes. We are excited to not only strengthen our long-standing relationship with ChenMed, but also benefit from its growing national presence to ensure a broader group of seniors have access to providers who are focused on their needs,” George Renaudin, president of Medicare and Medicaid at Humana, said in the press release.

“More senior-focused providers in more markets means more options for high-quality, value-based care for our members.”

Humana and ChenMed first partnered in the early 1990s to serve members in South Florida. In 2011, the entities formed the joint venture JenCare Senior Medical Center and expanded their footprint outside Florida.

The provider organization offers personalized physician-led primary care to Medicare-eligible seniors, according to the press release. The three medical center brands have more than 120 locations in 15 states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

As of January 2023, 5.6 million members are enrolled in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan and will have access to in-network primary care from ChenMed.

“ChenMed and our partners at Humana understand seniors, and together we have deep experience delivering on the spectrum of their primary care needs. We look forward to continuing our work with Humana to expand much-needed access to ChenMed’s senior-focused concierge care and industry-leading patient outcomes,” Michael Redmond, chief financial officer of ChenMed, said.

“We are excited about this agreement, which guarantees our patients will continue to have access to Humana’s leading health plans, along with the personalized, high-touch care we provide.”

In 2022, Humana received the number one ranking for customer experience quality in Forrester’s US Customer Experience Benchmark survey for the second year in a row. The payer also had the highest ranking for providing clear communication to members and offering transparent premiums, copayments, and fees.

Humana has continuously expanded access to care for its Medicare Advantage members throughout the past year.

For example, in January 2022, the payer partnered with Vancouver Clinic to provide members with access to an integrated care team, physical and mental healthcare services, and regular wellness classes.

The payer also recently expanded 2023 dental benefits for Medicare Advantage members in Florida, which included a more extensive provider network and higher annual allowances.