The biggest challenge facing home health providers today is the disconnect between the value that home health providers and the reimbursement environment, said Barb Jacobsmeyer, president and CEO of Enhabit Home Health & Hospice. Another difficult situation is negotiating with Medicare Advantage plans, which tend to pay lower rates, but that problem has improved as MA plans have realized the value of home health. Still, managing MA relationships is constant because it entails making a case about home health’s value and then making sure the payment is accurate. In the area of MA, data is paramount, she said. The last four years as CEO have been bumpy at times, particularly when a shareholder pushed for a strategic review based on the company’s declining share price, she noted. She was able to weather the storm because shareholders believed the company had the right strategy. In terms of advocacy, stopping home health cuts is a top priority. It’s also important that MA updates trickle down to home health. The next CEO of Enhabit needs to think innovatively and figure out how to care for more patients with less staff, she said. Even if the company is sold or goes private, the mission of helping patients and families does not change, she insisted.

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Show contributors:
McKnight’s Home Care Editor Liza Berger; Barb Jacobsmeyer, President and CEO, Enhabit Home Health & Hospice

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Jacobsmeyer: Enhabit in a ‘much better place in 2025’

McKnight's Podcast

Jacobsmeyer: Enhabit in a ‘much better place in 2025’