Humana Expands Medicare Advantage Plans, Benefits in Tennessee

Humana has announced several Medicare Advantage expansions for Tennessee in 2022, including a Dual Eligible Special Needs Medicare Advantage (D-SNP) plan and COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccination coverage for all Medicare Advantage plans.

The payer’s new D-SNP plan will be available across all counties starting in 2022. Individuals who are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid will have access to plan benefits that address food insecurity and over-the-counter spending.

“The pandemic has magnified the needs of so many in our community, and we definitely took those needs into account when designing our Medicare plans and benefits,” Doug Haaland, president of Humana Medicare for Tennessee and Alabama, stated in the press release.

“We know that having access to healthy foods and needed over-the-counter items means that our neediest members are not having to make the choice of food over medicine or seeing a doctor.”

Dual eligible Tennesseans can receive a $75 Healthy Foods Card through the plan, which reloads every month. Members can use Humana’s Healthy Foods Card to purchase approved healthy foods such as milk, eggs, bread, fruits, and vegetables, at participating stores.

The new D-SNP plan also offers members $100 each quarter for over-the-counter medicines and supplies.

Tennessee members will still have access to Humana’s current D-SNP plan, as well, which offers a $35 Healthy Foods Card each month and $350 per quarter in over-the-counter allowances.

The payer will also launch a zero-dollar premium Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan for Medicare Advantage members. The plan will be available in 38 counties in Tennessee.

Members can sign up for the new coverage options during Medicare Advantage’s 2021 Annual Election Period which opens on October 15 and closes on December 7. The coverage selections will go into effect on January 1, 2022.

Humana is also building upon its existing Humana Honor Plan. The plan is available to all Medicare members, but was designed with military veterans in mind. The payer introduced the plan in Tennessee in 2021.

The payer created the plan to provide veterans with complementary coverage for healthcare and dental services received outside of VA clinics. The plan does not include prescription drug coverage, as many veterans receive coverage through their VA benefits, the payer noted.

USAA, a financial services company that services military members, veterans, and their families, has recommended Humana’s Medicare Advantage plans to its members.

The updated Humana Honor plan will offer two different Medicare Advantage plan options. Members will have access to improved benefits including $100 to $300 of over-the-counter allowances each quarter, $50 to $75 Part B premium reductions, and more dental benefits.

Additionally, all Medicare Advantage health plans in 2022 will offer a zero-dollar copay for COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccinations. Coronavirus patients can also receive the equivalent of two home-delivered meals per day for two weeks through their Humana Medicare Advantage plan.

Humana furthered its commitment to addressing food insecurity by offering a meal program that provides healthy meals to Medicare members during their recovery from an inpatient hospital or skilled nursing facility stay.

Humana has expanded its traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage benefits in other states, as well.

Earlier in the year, the payer announced plans to open more Humana Neighborhood Centers in North Carolina. The centers will help improve Medicare Advantage members’ physical and mental health with social activities such as meditation and cooking classes.

In May 2021, the payer joined a traditional Medicare value-based contracting model to improve care quality and care coordination for members. The payer planned to partner with providers to develop value-based contracts across 38 states, the District of Colombia, and Puerto Rico.