Press Releases
May 18, 2017

Better Medicare Alliance Applauds Committee Passage of Chronic Care Act

This legislation is the result of several years of work by the U.S. Senate Chronic Care Working Group, during which they sought feedback from clinicians, plans, advocates, and community partners on actions to better address the needs of individuals with chronic conditions.

Washington, D.C. – Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) President and CEO Allyson Y. Schwartz released the following statement in response to the unanimous vote of 26-0 by the Senate Finance Committee today to approve S. 870, the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017:

“This legislation is the result of several years of work by the U.S. Senate Chronic Care Working Group, during which they sought feedback from clinicians, plans, advocates, and community partners on actions to better address the needs of individuals with chronic conditions.

“The CHRONIC Care Act builds on Medicare Advantage’s framework to offer even greater opportunity for flexibility and innovation in benefits and care delivery to address one of the most important challenges in Medicare: the care of those individuals with multiple chronic conditions. Early intervention, care management, care in the home, patient engagement and the capacity to address social determinants of health are enhanced by this legislation.

“Better Medicare Alliance supports this legislation and is pleased to see the strong bipartisan support for this initiative in Committee. As a coalition of 85 ally organizations that represent nurses, doctors, insurers, and senior organizations, BMA will mobilize its allies and senior advocates to support of the CHRONIC Care Act as the legislation moves to the full Senate.”

  • BMA supports the following Provisions in CHRONIC Care Act of 2017:
  • Expand the CMMI VBID model
  • Expand enhanced benefits in Medicare Advantage
  • Allow a Medicare Advantage plan to offer additional, clinically appropriate, telehealth benefits
  • Provide stability and support for Medicare Advantage SNP plans for the most vulnerable.
  • Extend the Independence at Home demonstration model

 

Read BMA’s press release announcing support of the legislation here.

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Better Medicare Alliance

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