In this episode of RISE Radio, we share an excerpt from the April 29 RISE webinar where Ana Handshuh, principal at CAT5 Strategies, and Melissa Smith, founder of Newton Smith Group, walk through the 2027 Medicare Advantage Final Rule.
The excerpt focuses on what Medicare Advantage plans need to know about flex card and Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill (SSBCI) changes, including:
- Codified flex card and debit card disclosures for benefits, conditions, and limitations
- Alternate pathways when members cannot use the card due to technical or non-technical barriers
- SSBCI determinations that require both chronic illness criteria and benefit-level health impact rationale
- Publicly posted eligibility criteria and the operational labor required ahead of January 1, 2027
To listen to the entire 75-minute webinar, including their deep dive into the Star ratings redesign, click here or visit risehealth.org to access our webinar library.
Ana Handshuh
Ana Handshuh, principal at CAT5 Strategies, is a government programs executive with expertise in creating and implementing corporate programs for the health care industry. Her background includes quality, core measures, care management, benefit design and bid submission, accreditation, regulatory compliance, revenue management, communications, community-based care management programs and technology integration.
She is a sought-after speaker on the national health care circuit in the areas of quality, Star ratings, care management, member and provider engagement, and revenue management.
Melissa Smith
For more than a decade, Melissa Smith has been at the forefront of leading Medicare Advantage and Star Ratings teams. As the founder of Newton Smith Group and a Senior Advisor to Oliver Wyman, Melissa is a widely recognized thought leader and healthcare strategist. Her proven track record of success lies in developing comprehensive enterprise-wide solutions that enhance Star Ratings, quality performance, health outcomes, and the overall member experience.
Smith excels in crafting strategic and tactical solutions to meet client needs, forging productive partnerships across internal teams and external vendors, and improving performance on various quality measures. Her unique background in business, finance, regulatory compliance, and healthcare quality provides clients unparalleled access to healthcare strategy, quality performance, and revenue optimization. As the former chief consulting officer at Healthmine and senior vice president at Gorman Health Group, Smith's leadership spans across prestigious organizations like Cigna-HealthSpring and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Graduating from Purdue University, Melissa began her career at KPMG, LLP and is a Certified Public Accountant.