Event Recap: Medicare Advantage Summit Conference – Day 2

Key Takeaways:

• Mark E. Miller reinforced the importance of Medicare Advantage and how it allows beneficiaries choice and greater flexibility to innovate and try new care delivery models. Also, focused on the importance of the plan’s role in designing benefits for particular populations.
• Robert Mirsky talked about recognizing that the notion of the delivery system is continuing to evolve to start engaging people who are not sick, give care in non-traditional settings, and provide services that address social determinants of health.
• The first panel discussed the final rate notice and how positive this year’s rate notice and call letter were. They encouraged taking advantage of the new authorities in the administration to expand the options that Medicare Advantage can offer.
• Congressman Blumenauer emphasized that Medicare Advantage has the potential to build a bipartisan consensus, as there is almost nothing that both sides can agree on when it comes to healthcare.
• The second panel talks about beneficiary education and all the improvements that CMS and SSA should make to provide the clearest explanation of their Medicare options. The panelist also discussed the possibility of talking to beneficiaries early on about whether they would want paper statements or electronic communication when it comes to their Medicare choices.
• The last panel discussed flexibility and social determinants in plan design. They discussed the need to extend the flexibility of supplemental benefits to include social determinants. And how important nutrition, mental and behavioral health, housing, and loneliness factor into MA plans as social determinants.

Speakers

Opening Remarks

Jerry Penso, MD, MBA- President and Chief Executive Officer, AMGA

Keynote Address

Mark E. Miller, PhD- Vice President, Health Care, Laura & John Arnold Foundation

Delivery System Reform for Medicare Advantage

Robert Mirsky, MD, MMM- Vice President, Medical Operations and Chief Medical Officer, Medicare, Aetna, New York, NY

Keynote Address: Member of Congress

Earl Blumenauer, JD (D/OR)- Member, US House of Representatives, Washington, DC

Panel 1: Final MA Rate Notice

Lynn F. Dong, FSA, MAAA- Principal and Consulting Actuary, Milliman, Inc., Seattle, WA

Jane Galvin- Director, Regulatory Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Washington, DC

David Introcaso, PhD- Senior Director for Regulatory and Public Policy, AMGA

Howard B. Shapiro, PhD- Director of Public Policy, Alliance of Community Health Plans

James Michel- Director of Policy, Better Medicare Alliance (Moderator)

Panel 2: Beneficiary Education

Kelly Brantley- Vice President, Avalere Health

Joel White- President, Council for Affordable Health Coverage

Adjoa Adofo, MS- Director of Communications, Better Medicare Alliance (Moderator)

Panel 3: Flexibility and Social Determinants in Plan Design

Ellie Hollander- President and Chief Executive Officer, Meals on Wheels America

Andrew Renda, MD, MPH- Director, Bold Goal (Population Health), Humana, Louisville, KY

Bill Roth- President, SCAN Health Plan

John Rother, JD- President and Chief Executive Officer, National Coalition on Health Care (Moderator)

Twitter report – MA Summit.pdf

To view event photos here.