Humana Increases Access to NC Medicare Advantage Mental Healthcare Resources

June 29, 2021 - Humana has announced plans to open additional Humana Neighborhood Centers across North Carolina to improve the physical and mental health of its Medicare Advantage members.

Humana Neighborhood Centers offer programs and activities such as healthy cooking classes, meditation, informational health sessions, and other social events that help to improve participants’ physical and mental wellbeing. These classes present an opportunity for members to learn about managing their health while also making social connections with other community members.

The centers are open to the community and allow non-Humana members to take part in most of the offered activities, expanding its physical and mental healthcare initiative to local residents as well. Classes and events are also offered virtually for members who do not live near a Neighborhood Center.

The payer plans to open Neighborhood Centers in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem within the next year. Currently, there are center locations in Asheville and Greensboro.

“We are thrilled to announce this significant expansion in North Carolina and are excited to build on our work to improve the health and wellbeing of our Medicare Advantage members,” Kathleen Schwarzwalder, vice president of Humana North Carolina Medicare, said in the press release.

“This includes the North Carolina State Health Plan retirees that we have the privilege to serve.”

As a part of the payer’s effort to improve health outcomes for its growing membership in North Carolina, it is opening a new contact center in the state. The Humana Charlotte Grove 5 Contact Center will serve Medicare Advantage members who are part of the state health plan. The center will host call representatives to assist members with any questions they have.

Currently, the call representatives are working from home, but they will work from the center when the payer’s COVID-19 protocols allow for in-person working.

Humana is involved in other activities across North Carolina that help promote health and wellness for its residents, such as the North Carolina Senior Games, the press release stated. The payer is a Gold Sponsor of the game’s state finals for the 16th year in a row, according to Schwarzwalder.

Humana partnered with a nonprofit pharmacy in North Carolina to improve member access to over-the-counter medicine and plans to work with over twenty other mobile pharmacies in the state throughout the year, the press release concluded.

The payer has worked to address social determinants of health in Charlotte residents as well, with its Bold Goal and Population Health strategy, which saw Medicare Advantage health outcomes improve in 2020.

Medicare Advantage members in Bold Goal communities had fewer physical and mental unhealthy days compared to the 2015 baseline. The data reflects emerging distinctions between Medicare Advantage quality of care and access to care when compared to fee-for-service Medicare.

Humana has taken steps to improve coverage and health outcomes for its Medicare Advantage members.

The payer recently announced its plan to expand CenterWell Senior Primary Care to reach more Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage senior members. The expansion of the value-based care model from the primary care provider aimed to improve care quality and health outcomes for members and reduce costs.

Humana expanded its Medicare Advantage coverage to more than 100 additional counties back in October 2020. The payer’s 4.5 million Medicare Advantage members received benefits such as $0 telehealth use for primary and urgent care, free treatment for members who were infected with the coronavirus, prescription drug coverage, and more, depending on the plan.

Medicare Advantage plans also come with the payer’s home healthcare program, Humana At Home, in which members receive a care coordinator to help them organize their prescriptions and transportation. The coordinator also educates members on how to avoid hospital readmission.