Effective May 1, 2019, we are launching the Preferred Skilled Nursing Facility (pSNF) Program, a new program whereby Tandigm Care Solutions (Tandigm), an independent company, will provide comprehensive care services to eligible Independence Medicare Advantage members who are discharged from an acute care facility to a designated pSNF.
The new pSNF Program joins the House Calls Program, which has been in place for several years, as another comprehensive care program provided by Tandigm that is available to eligible Independence members. Under the House Calls Program, Tandigm provides certain comprehensive care services to eligible Independence members who have multiple chronic conditions and may experience frequent hospitalizations. Both the House Calls Program and the new pSNF Program are available at no additional cost to eligible Independence members.*
Tandigm has identified 15 pSNFs located within Independence’s five-county service area (i.e., Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties) to participate in the pSNF Program.
The pSNF difference
The pSNF Program is designed to provide several benefits to the patient, including:
- The close monitoring of patient health status results in early recognition and treatment of medical issues, reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and SNF length of stay.
- Helping to ensure positive patient and family experience through focused patient care and progress toward goals.
- Transitions to home or other care settings are well planned and coordinated, reducing the risk of avoidable hospital readmissions.
- The freedom to choose a SNF where extra care does not result in extra cost.
The facilities designated as pSNFs were selected based on certain qualifying criteria. Similar to the House Calls Program, each pSNF Program member is assigned a team of physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurse case managers who will create and manage a plan based on the patient’s clinical situation, in addition to patient and family goals.
Independence will work closely with the discharge planning teams at acute care facilities when a member who is eligible to participate in the pSNF Program chooses to be discharged to a pSNF.
Care management goals
Through the coordinated efforts by the Tandigm care managers at each pSNF, the goals of the pSNF Program are to:
- excel in communication with families, patients, facility staff, primary care physicians, and others involved in the patient’s care;
- improve clinical outcomes and reduce unnecessary hospital readmissions through close monitoring of the patient’s condition and early recognition and treatment of medical issues;
- utilize interdisciplinary teams guided by evidence-based protocols;
- align goals through discussions with patient, families, and other caregivers;
- provide well-coordinated discharge planning and communication with post-facility care team;
- reduce quality gaps in care;
- ensure accurate and complete coding and documentation;
- reduce length of stay based on close coordination with applicable therapy services, facility discharge planners, Independence utilization management, and patient/family.
Learn more
For questions about the pSNF Program or the House Calls Program, please call the 24-hour toll-free Concierge Support Line at
1-844-902-2345![]( "Call: 1-844-902-2345")
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*Tandigm Care Solutions provides the Preferred SNF Program services at no additional cost to eligible Independence Medicare Advantage members. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Contact Independence for more information. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply. Benefits, premiums, and/or copayments/coinsurance may change on January 1 of each year.