With skilled nursing advocates and operators increasingly touting the benefits of Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) as those benefits serve both residents and care providers, a new partnership initiative in Michigan is expanding the reach of such plans across many Medicare-eligible individuals.
The new I-SNP offering builds on the existing partnership between provider-led primary and post-acute care organization Curana Health and Southfield, Michigan and Westerville, Ohio-based post-acute and senior living provider Ciena, builds on an existing partnership between the provider organizations. Under the new collaboration, residents of Ciena’s 31 Michigan communities can access care through the Align Senior Care I-SNP — a subsidiary of Curana Health.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Ciena Healthcare to create superior health outcomes for people in Michigan,” says Mark Price, CEO of Curana Health. “Our I-SNP delivers a model of care that helps operators reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and bring better health, happiness, and quality of life to residents.”
The model has proven successful by several measures, including a 39% average reduction in 30-day hospital readmission rates and 37% average reduction in total hospital admissions among members in the plan.
Progressively, skilled nursing providers are realizing the benefits of I-SNPs for their own organizations, utilizing a few different models. In some cases, the skilled nursing provider is also the insurer; in others, the skilled nursing provider owns an I-SNP. With Align Senior Care, the provider and the I-SNP form a partnership to offer the plan to a given population of eligible Medicare beneficiaries.
As a specialized Medicare Advantage plan, Align Senior Care was developed based on input from senior living communities housing the individuals whom the plan ultimately serves. This means it is particularly equipped to coordinate care for residents with long-term care needs — a critical component of I-SNP plans serving senior living residents.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Curana Health to make its provider-led I-SNP available to Medicare Advantage members in our Michigan skilled nursing, rehabilitation, sub-acute and assisted living facilities,” says Mohammad A. Qazi, President & CEO, Ciena Healthcare. “I-SNPs have demonstrated an ability to drive better health outcomes in residents with long-term care needs, and to be working with Curana to bring its innovative model to our residents.”
Curana was formed in 2022 under the merging of AllyAlign Health, Elite Patient Care and Provider Health Services. Through those organizations’ various areas of expertise, including geriatric care, running Medicare Advantage plans and clinical services, Curana is able to partner with care organizations and networks to provide highly coordinated care that is geared toward specific resident populations. Through those partnerships, the organization currently works in more than 1,100 senior living communities spanning skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care and continuing care retirement communities / life plan communities.
Earlier this year, Curana partnered with senior living community coalition Serviam to create a Value Based Care Alliance aimed at providing infrastructure, services and scale to help providers succeed in value-based care models.
This article is sponsored by Curana Health, whose integrated model of care increases patient satisfaction and reduces unnecessary hospitalizations by making real-time medical consultation available to residents and their families. To learn more, visit curanahealth.com.
