Today, Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED), a leading provider of home health, hospice and high-acuity care, announced a new agreement with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee to provide members in Middle Tennessee with palliative care in the comfort of their homes.

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with complex, chronic or advanced stage illness, such as cancer or heart failure. Patients in palliative care receive ongoing home-based treatment and care coordination that aims to enhance quality of life and manage symptoms.

“BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has shown they are committed to making healthcare more affordable and more convenient for its members, in their homes,” said Paul Kusserow, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Amedisys. “As one of our first arrangements of this kind, it accelerates Amedisys’ strategic goal of moving to mutually beneficial, risk-based models with payors. We are proud to work with innovative companies like BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee to offer high-acuity care in the home.”

With this program, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s members can receive palliative care in-person or via telehealth from Amedisys’ clinicians including doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses at no additional cost. Eligible members will receive information from Amedisys on the program and how to enroll in the coming weeks.

“Palliative Care at Home brings coordinated and specialized care into the homes of our members and avoids unnecessary hospitalization,” said Dr. Angeline Brunetto, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s senior care division. “We believe in the benefit of offering high quality care where our members are most comfortable - their home. Increasingly, this is what patients want and we are proud to offer these services to our Middle Tennessee members.”

For more information on the Palliative Care at Home program, please visit https://www.amedisys.com/services/palliative-care/