WASHINGTON—Independence Blue Cross (IBX) has teamed up with tango, a provider of post-acute benefit enablement services, to build on the network of home health options it offers Medicare Advantage members.
“Healing at home isn’t just comforting, it’s a proven way to help patients feel better physically and maintain a better quality of life,” said Richard Snyder, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Independence Blue Cross. “This is especially true for adults 65 and older. Home is where our members want to recover, and we’re committed to making that transition as seamless as possible. Not only because it’s their preference, but because time and again, it has shown to lead to better outcomes—even compared to the most advanced hospital settings.”
According to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, nearly 3 million traditional Medicare members received home health services nationwide in 2023. Tango said its technology helps meet this growing need for home health services by identifying patients with complex conditions in real time as they leave the hospital. This enables faster referrals to skilled home health providers, which leads to fewer delays, lower readmission rates, improved care and enhanced patient satisfaction.
“Today’s announcement shows Medicare Advantage plans are eager to leverage tango’s platform to improve speed to care and lower costs at a time when health costs continue to increase and plans are under increased scrutiny,” said Brian Lobley, tango CEO. “Unlike traditional tools, like prior authorization, tango’s model drives provider collaboration with health plans and delivers more efficient, better care.
The companies said results from IBX and tango’s work together are positive with 100% of qualified referrals for IBX Medicare Advantage members have been placed with a home agency within two days of tango receiving the referral, achieving a 97% member satisfaction rate.