BMA Allies Laud Members of Congress for Bipartisan Letter Supporting Medicare Advantage

Washington, D.C. – Better Medicare Alliance, the leading research and advocacy group supporting Medicare Advantage, released a slate of statements from across its network of 160 Ally organizations praising a recent bipartisan letter from 70 Members of Congress to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.

The letter, sent last week and led by Representatives Val Demings (D-FL), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Marc Veasey (D-TX), and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), applauded Medicare Advantage for “delivering high-quality, affordable health care that is improving health outcomes and advancing health equity across the country.”

Each of the signatories on the Congressional letter represents a district where at least 50% of the Medicare population is enrolled in Medicare Advantage.

“The National Black Nurses Association knows firsthand the importance of high-quality primary care in achieving health equity. Studies show that Medicare Advantage invests more in primary care, delivering better health outcomes to a proportionally lower-income, more diverse, and more socially at-risk beneficiary population,” said Martha A. Dawson, DNP, RN, FACHE, President, National Black Nurses Association, Inc. “Modernizing the health care system and delivering meaningful health care security to people of color demands a commonsense approach that recognizes the successes we see in Medicare Advantage today. The National Black Nurses Association commends these 70 Members of Congress – including strong Black leaders like Reps. Val Demings, Frederica Wilson, Hank Johnson Jr., Nikema Williams, Terri Sewell, and others – for taking decisive action to champion minority seniors’ Medicare Advantage coverage.”   

“Landmark Health extends our gratitude to every lawmaker – and particularly those who represent the 17 states and over 200 counties across the nation where we operate – who stood up for the care that we provide to over 140,000 chronically ill seniors by sending this letter in support of Medicare Advantage,” said Nick Loporcaro, CEO, Landmark Health. “Landmark exists to reach the most medically complex adults – who often rely on hospital emergency rooms – with personalized, in-home medical care. Medicare Advantage’s value-based framework is the fuel that empowers us to reach more seniors with our compassionate, personalized care. With this letter, these 70 Members of Congress are not only advocating for Medicare Advantage, they are also standing up for the health and wellbeing of those we serve.”

“At Healthcare Leadership Council, our more than 55 coalition members recognize the importance of strong public-private partnerships in health care that enable innovation and flexibility for the private sector to meet broad federal health policy goals. Medicare Advantage provides a model for accomplishing exactly that,” said Mary R. Grealy, President, Healthcare Leadership Council. “We join Better Medicare Alliance in applauding these 70 Members of Congress for their bipartisan work to protect and strengthen Medicare Advantage for today’s enrollees and the more than 10,000 Americans who age into Medicare each day.”  

“The Biden administration and Congress have set critical goals that we at APIAHF share, particularly the urgent need to address disparities in health care and build a health care system that ensures equity for all people,” said Juliet K. Choi, President and CEO, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF). “Medicare Advantage, with its proportionally more diverse beneficiary population and 99% satisfaction rating among beneficiaries of color, has a meaningful role to play in these efforts. We are delighted that 70 members of Congress from across the political spectrum have stood together to insist upon stability and continuity of care for all who depend on Medicare Advantage’s protections, both now and in the future.”

“As a leading primary care provider transforming care for tens of thousands of vulnerable and needy seniors in 10 states, soon to be 12 states, ChenMed relies on the innovations and flexibilities uniquely found in Medicare Advantage to deliver truly personalized care with VIP service to fuel industry-leading customer satisfaction, and better health outcomes,” said Gordon Chen, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, ChenMed. “For more than 30 years ChenMed doctors have been doing whatever it takes to help elderly patients keep thriving, including those with multiple health challenges. We salute Florida Reps. Val Demings and Gus Bilirakis, as well as each of the more than 70 bipartisan members of Congress who joined them in signing a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. The 26.5 million seniors who rely on the Medicare Advantage insurance for which they, too, are champions, owe them a debt of gratitude.”

Read the May 11^th letter to HHS Secretary Becerra from 70 Members of Congress HERE.

See a full list of BMA Ally organizations HERE.

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