Understood Care
If you are managing a health condition and real life is getting in the way of care, Community Health Integration may help. CHI is a Medicare service that focuses on non medical needs that affect your care, like getting to appointments, understanding instructions, or finding safe food and housing resources. The goal is simple. Remove obstacles so your doctor can diagnose and treat you effectively.
Community Health Integration (CHI) is person-centered support that addresses the social and practical needs connected to your medical care. It can include a thorough assessment to understand your unique situation, coordination between you and your care team, health education, patient self-advocacy training, help navigating the healthcare system, and emotional support. At Understood Care, a clinician is always available when you need one to ensure your plan of care stays on track. These services are designed to make it easier to follow the recommendations your clinician provides, and once you start, you can receive CHI every month.
You may qualify when your clinician identifies social needs that significantly limit their ability to diagnose or treat the problem addressed in your visit. Examples include transportation barriers, food insecurity, unsafe housing, language or literacy challenges, and other factors that make care difficult. CHI is meant to resolve those needs so medical care can proceed.
Before CHI begins, you need an initiating visit with the practitioner who will oversee your care. This is usually an office visit where your medical needs are addressed and any unmet social needs are identified. In some cases, a yearly wellness visit can serve as the initiating visit if it documents social needs that could prevent you from following your prevention plan. The initiating visit is billed separately, as required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Understood Care makes this process simple by handling your initiating visit over the phone or through video, so there’s no need to travel or attend in person. Our professional nurses and advocates are trained to provide advanced support remotely, ensuring you receive high quality, personalized care from home. If you have a Medicare supplemental plan, you pay $0 out of pocket for this service. Learn more at https://understoodcare.com/pricing.
Your consent is required before services begin. Understood Care is free for most patients with Medicare. If there is any cost, we will tell you before your first session and you will never receive a surprise bill. Only one practitioner can bill CHI for you each month. Learn more at https://understoodcare.com/pricing
CHI is flexible and tailored to your needs. With Understood Care, you have a team of Advocates and clinicians supporting you.Common elements include
Not every element is required every month. Your team provides what is reasonable and necessary for you at that time.
CHI is delivered by Understood Care using trained auxiliary personnel such as patient advocates, community health workers, and registered nurses, under the general supervision of the practitioner who billed the initiating visit. All personnel are employed by Understood Care and coordinate directly with your clinic. Understood Care performs all documentation of activities and time.
With Understood Care, Community Health Integration is delivered by phone and video, so you receive high quality, personalized support from the comfort of your home. These services are classified as care management outside the Medicare tele-health list and can be covered when furnished through telecommunications technology.
After you meet the Part B deductible, you typically pay 20 percent coinsurance for CHI. Understood Care provides the clinician and will review any costs with you before your first session, with no surprise bills. For current details and examples, visit https://understoodcare.com/pricing.
Many people first learn about CHI during a social determinants of health risk assessment. This is a brief screening that checks for non medical needs like food, transportation, or housing issues. If needs are identified, you may be referred for CHI and or Principal Illness Navigation.
It helps to know how CHI compares to related services.
You do not need to know billing codes to receive help. They can be useful when speaking with billing staff. Understood Care will share any information you want, including codes, estimates, and documentation, with full transparency.
Yes. Your Understood Care team can address the needs that are most limiting your care and adjust the plan as new barriers are identified.
No. After the initiating visit and consent, services can continue monthly as long as they are reasonable and necessary.
Yes. CHI can be furnished using telecommunications technology. It is still covered as care management.
These resources explain side effect management and coverage in plain language.
Managing Neuropathy Medication Side Effects
https://understoodcare.com/healthcare-info/managing-neuropathy-medication-side-effects
Covered by Medicare and most insurance
https://understoodcare.com/pricing
External Sources
We know navigating Medicare and care needs can feel lonely, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Our caring team takes care of the paperwork, claims, and home care so you’re always supported.
