LHC Group earns top marks in latest CMS Star and HomeCare Elite performance measures

LAFAYETTE, La., Dec. 17, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LHC Group, Inc.’s (NASDAQ: LHCG) latest showing in two of the home health industry’s most coveted and highly valued measures of quality and performance demonstrate that the in-home healthcare provider’s results continue to surpass national averages and lead industry peers and competitors.

The most recent Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Five-Star Quality Rating System results, released in October, saw LHC Group once again leading the in-home healthcare industry in both the “Quality of Patient Care” and “Patient Satisfaction” categories.

With the 2019 HomeCare Elite results, also released in October, LHC Group landed a total of 211 home health providers, representing 321 branch locations around the nation, among the top 25 percent of all home health agencies in the country – with 11 providers achieving a spot in the “Top 100.”

“Our focus on overall quality and superior performance for our patients has not waivered since our founding,” said Keith Myers, LHC Group chairman and CEO. “As Medicare and other reimbursement requirements continue placing greater value on quality and patient outcomes, we believe our strong performance in the industry’s leading performance evaluations will position us to earn an increased market share in the cities, towns, and communities we serve across the nation.”

CMS Star Ratings

The CMS Five-Star Quality Rating System results are released quarterly and rank providers in two categories: “Quality of Patient Care” and “Patient Satisfaction.” The system was instituted by CMS as part of its website to provide a tool for consumers to use when choosing a home healthcare provider.

CMS rates providers on a scale of 1 to 5 stars for both categories – with 5 being the highest rating.

LHC Group’s results are reported based on its “standalone” performance (excluding the 2018 Almost Family acquisitions), and on its “combined” ratings (including Almost Family and other recent acquisitions).

LHC Group (standalone) achieved an average score of 4.65 stars in the quality category. Its combined average was 4.30 – significantly outperforming the national average of 3.28.

The company (standalone) earned an average of 4.41 stars in the patient satisfaction category. The combined average was 4.19 – also a favorable comparison to a national average of 3.72

LHC Group’s achievements for standalone locations also included:

• 97 percent of LHC Group same-store locations have a quality rating of four stars or better.
• 93 percent of LHC Group same-store locations have a patient satisfaction rating of four stars or better.
• 235 LHC Group providers and branches achieved a five-star rating in at least one of the two categories.
• 81 LHC Group providers and branches achieved a five-star rating in both the quality and patient satisfaction categories.

Jefferies Group LLC – a New York-based global investment bank and institutional securities firm that provides financial advisory services – recently issued a report evaluating CMS’s October 2019 ratings. In their report, analysts noted “…an increased focus on care quality, which has been driving market share gains and above-average growth within the home nursing space for the industry's top players.”

The report also stated: “As the Stars quality metric gap between the top players and the rest of the home nursing industry continues to widen and hospitals further increase focus on quality metrics, expect market share to continue shifting toward larger, clinically sophisticated, and high-quality providers…”

In their evaluation of the industry’s top three best-performing providers, with LHC Group again claiming the top spot, Jefferies’ analysts further stated: “More importantly, the quality metrics for these three providers remain meaningfully higher than the average ratings for the rest of the industry, underscoring the wide quality bifurcation occurring between the top, large, well-capitalized players vs. their competitors.”

HomeCare Elite 2019

LHC Group’s total of 211 providers on the list of 2019 HomeCare Elite represents over half (58 percent) of all LHC Group home health providers, as well as over half of all branch locations.

For 14 years, HomeCare Elite has annually identified the top 25 percent of Medicare-certified agencies and highlighted the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall. For the past nine years, LHC Group has consistently increased the number of its providers achieving HomeCare Elite status.

When broken down by specific ranking, LHC Group’s 2019 achievements include:

• 150 providers ranked in the top 25 percent.
• 50 providers were named among the “Top 500.”
• 11 providers earned a spot among the “Top 100” agencies in the nation.

The ranking is developed by ABILITY® Network, a leading information technology company helping providers and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of healthcare. It is sponsored by DecisionHealth, publisher of Home Health Line and the Complete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual.

HomeCare Elite agencies are determined by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, best practices implementation, patient experience (HHCAHPS), quality improvement and consistency, and financial health. In order to be considered, an agency must be Medicare-certified and have data for at least three outcomes in Home Health Compare.

To access more detailed information on the latest CMS Star Ratings, visit . For more information on the 2019 HomeCare Elite, visit .

About LHC Group, Inc.

LHC Group, Inc. is a national provider of in-home healthcare services and innovations, providing quality, value-based healthcare to patients primarily within the comfort and privacy of their home or place of residence. LHC Group’s services cover a wide range of healthcare needs for patients and families dealing with illness, injury, or chronic conditions. The company’s 32,000 employees deliver home health, hospice, home and community based services, and facility-based care in 35 states and the District of Columbia – reaching 60 percent of the U.S. population aged 65 and older. LHC Group is the preferred in-home healthcare partner for 350 leading hospitals around the country. In 2019, the company was named to the inaugural Forbes list of “America’s Best-in-State Employers.”