A national trade association of health insurers, America’s Health Insurance Plans, is strongly protesting a new round of proposed cuts to 2015 Medicare Advantage payment rates. Preliminary estimate of the combined effect of the Medicare Advantage growth percentage and the fee-for-service growth percentage is estimated to be -1.9 percent,” CMS said Friday in releasing their proposed rule.
“The new proposed Medicare Advantage cuts would cause seniors in the program to lose benefits and choices on which they depend. Last year’s six percent cut to Medicare Advantage rates resulted in higher premiums, reduced benefits, fewer coverage options, and loss of provider choices for seniors. Another round of payment cuts would be devastating to the more than 15 million seniors and people with disabilities that have chosen to enroll in Medicare Advantage for the better benefits and higher quality coverage these plans provide.
The politics of Medicare Advantage are expected to be an issue in some upcoming elections, according to Washington observers.
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