MA Plan Introduces Benefits to Address Chronic Disease Management

MVP Health Care and the University of Vermont Health Network (UVMHN) have added heart disease and diabetes support to their Medicare Advantage plan benefits to improve chronic disease management for older adults.

UVM Health Advantage, a joint Medicare Advantage plan from the two organizations, serves seniors in Northern New York and Vermont. Plan members have access to MVP’s physician network that spans across the two states.

The new offerings will aim to help members who live with heart disease and diabetes, according to the health plan.

Members who are diagnosed with congestive heart failure can receive three months of free medically-tailored meals through the Medicare Advantage plan. The health plan will also provide transportation services for members, including up to 36 free rides to or from medical appointments.

In addition, the plan intends to cover cardiac rehab level 3 at no cost, something only two other health plans in the country do. Cardiac rehab level 3 consists of exercise sessions and health education resources that aim to help members maintain a healthy lifestyle while managing their heart disease.

The Medicare Advantage plan also offers dental benefits, as proper dental hygiene is associated with improved cardiac conditions, according to the payer.

Additionally, members can receive equipment such as digital blood pressure cuffs and pulse oximeters through plan enrollment.

Members living with diabetes can gain access to coverage for regular podiatry visits as well as resources to help manage their diabetes, including glucometers, orthotics, and diabetic shoes. The plan also offers free gym memberships to promote healthy living.

“We know that heart disease and diabetes can be successfully managed if patients have the right tools and support they need,” John Brumsted, MD, president and chief executive officer of UVMHN, stated in the press release. “We are excited about our partnership with MVP to offer a plan that can help older adults in our region live healthier lives.”

Heart disease and diabetes are common chronic conditions among older adults in New York and Vermont, prompting the organizations to include these new benefits in their Medicare Advantage plan.

Heart disease is the second highest cause of death in Vermont and the number one cause of death in New York and more than 1.7 million New Yorkers and 55,000 Vermonters live with diabetes.

MVP and UVMHN’s joint Medicare Advantage plan is available to residents in five New York counties including Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, and St. Lawrence, and 14 Vermont counties including Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor.

Medicare Advantage plans typically attract members with their extensive supplemental benefit offerings. Supplemental benefits for members with chronic diseases are particularly popular.

Nearly 800 Medicare Advantage plans offered special supplemental benefits for the chronically ill in 2021, according to an Avalere report. Meal benefits were the most common supplemental offering for members who participated in chronic disease management.

A Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) study also found that in 2020, Medicare Advantage plans saw high volumes of members with chronic conditions. Seniors with chronic conditions reported that they were more likely to choose a Medicare Advantage plan over traditional Medicare.

Additionally, the BMA study discovered that heart disease was among the top chronic conditions in Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare beneficiaries.

Medicare Advantage special needs plans can also help members with chronic disease management, as they can offer tailored benefits to specific populations.