ICYMI: Bipartisan Majority of U.S. House of Representatives Urges CMS to Protect Seniors

In response to the 2016 Advance Rate Notice for the Medicare Advantage Program, more members of Congress are raising concerns about the impact of proposed new cuts to the program. In a bipartisan letter to CMS, 239 members of the House urged the agency to stabilize payment rates for 2016.

Below are highlights from the bipartisan letter:

“The new proposed cuts could represent a significant threat to the health and financial security of seniors in our congressional districts who rely on their MA plans to meet their health care needs.”

“Approximately 550,000 MA enrollees lost their plans at the beginning of 2014, and another 570,000 lost their plans at the beginning of 2015. Beneficiaries in all 50 states have been impacted by these disruptions. We strongly believe that cuts to MA benefits would be deeply unfair to millions of our constituents who are counting on Congress and the Administration to stabilize this program.”

“We are concerned that further cuts to the MA program could undermine a coverage option that is critical to our nation’s Medicare beneficiaries, particularly those who have multiple chronic conditions and those with low incomes.”

View the full House letter here.