|
Partners in Caring
Independent Health's Medicare Family Choice HMO/SNP is designed to meet the needs of and is offered to long term care residents who permanently reside in nursing facilities that participate in the Family Choice Program. The program provides visits as often as weekly by specially trained Nurse Practitioners or Physician Assistants who work closely with the member's physician, facility staff, and family. Family Choice Nurse Practitioners or Physician Assistants work collaboratively with the member's current Independent Health-credentialed participating physician.
Program Goals
The program's goal is to provide as many Medicare services as possible in the member's home--the nursing facility. Working closely with facility staff and physicians, we emphasize comprehensive primary care through frequent assessments, early intervention and preventive services. By responding promptly to members' needs we are able to achieve the best possible clinical and functional outcomes with improved efficiency when compared with traditional Medicare services.
Responsiveness
A Family Choice Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant is on call 24 hours a day seven days a week including after hours, weekends and holidays, to respond to both routine and urgent calls from nursing facility staff, members and/or their families.
The Family Choice Care Coordinators
Supporting physicians, nursing facilities and our Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Family Choice Care Coordinators arrange for timely consults, procedures, and other required off-site services for members. At the request of the Nurse Practitioners or Physician Assistants, they also schedule and coordinate transportation when necessary.
Social Services
The Program includes social workers who are available to assist members and/or their families, physicians, Nurse Practitioners or Physician Assistants and nursing facilities with particularly difficult and time consuming member and/or family psychosocial issues, especially those occurring near the end of life.
How Nursing Facility Residents Join Family Choice
To enroll and enjoy the benefits of Independent Health's Medicare Family Choice HMO/SNP, a nursing facility resident must be eligible for Medicare Part A and B, must not have End Stage Renal Disease unless enrolled in another Independent Health program. He or she must also choose to receive primary medical care from an Independent Health network provider who has chosen to participate in the Family Choice Program.
For residents enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid there is no additional cost to the member for the Family Choice Program.
|
