US Reps Urge CMS to Maintain Medicare Advantage Benefits in 2023

More than 340 members of the US House of Representatives have penned a letter to CMS asking the agency to continue to uphold Medicare Advantage benefits, including stable premium rates and supplemental offerings.

Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Mike Kelly (R-PA) spearheaded the letter in a bipartisan effort to highlight how important Medicare Advantage coverage is for the 27 million older adults and individuals with disabilities who are enrolled in a plan. The letter comes as CMS considers updates to the Medicare Advantage program for 2023.

According to the policymakers, more than 43 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage and benefit from affordable, high-quality healthcare coverage. Additionally, 90 percent of enrollees are in a plan that has a quality rating of four or more stars.

The letter emphasized the key populations that Medicare Advantage serves, including low-income communities. Two in five Medicare Advantage enrollees make less than $25,000 each year. The program has also seen significant enrollment growth among Black and Hispanic members, the representatives wrote.

The average monthly Medicare Advantage premiums are on track to reach an all-time low, and the policymakers are urging CMS to maintain these low rates for the 2023 plan year as well. The letter also expressed gratitude for the agency’s continued commitment to support Medicare Advantage.

“Medicare Advantage has strong bipartisan support because it is a prime example of the government and free market working together to deliver lower costs, more choices, and better outcomes for millions of Americans,” Matt Eyles, president and chief executive officer of AHIP, said in a statement.

“We applaud Congress for standing with seniors and people with disabilities who depend on this vital program and look forward to working with both Congress and the Administration to keep MA strong, stable, and adequately funded now and in the future.”

Additionally, policymakers asked that CMS maintain the slew of benefits that Medicare Advantage members receive. The program offers members care coordination, out-of-pocket spending limits, disease management programs, and access to community-based programs.

Medicare Advantage also provides members with a number of supplemental benefits, including vision, dental, and prescription drug coverage at no additional cost.

According to the letter, Medicare Advantage plans have received consistently high satisfaction rates from older adults. The program has also helped protect at-risk populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Medicare Advantage members seeing a 19 percent lower rate of hospitalization compared to traditional Medicare beneficiaries.

Better Medicare Alliance, who sent a letter to CMS in December 2021 with a similar ask, voiced its agreement with the policymakers.

“At a time of increasing polarization in Washington and around the country, Medicare Advantage garners overwhelming bipartisan support because it delivers on its commitment to achieve lower costs and better outcomes for seniors,” Mary Beth Donahue, president and chief executive officer Better Medicare Alliance, said in a statement. 

“On behalf of the over 28.5 million Americans who choose Medicare Advantage nationwide, we applaud Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Mike Kelly (R-PA), and their 342 co-signers for standing up for the health coverage their constituents need and deserve.”

Medicare Advantage plans have helped increase access to quality, affordable healthcare for underserved populations, and policymakers are committed to protecting this access, the letter indicated.

“We ask that the Administration provide a stable rate and policy environment for Medicare Advantage, including protecting important benefits such as programs focused on addressing health equity, in-home health risk assessments, and value-based insurance design,” the letter concluded.

“We are committed to ensuring that our more than 27 million constituents who rely on Medicare Advantage can count on stability in the program and do not face uncertainty about their benefits or premiums next year, and we are ready to protect the program from policies that would undermine this stability or the health outcomes of enrollees.”