Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA) would waive Medicare Advantage uniformity requirements to give chronically ill beneficiaries access to plans that are tailored to meet their needs.
Meehan, who introduced H.R. 3044 with support from a bipartisan group of legislators that included U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ), said the increasing rates of chronic illness among seniors are real challenges for the country’s health care system.
“Chronic illnesses account for 70 percent of deaths in Pennsylvania each year, and seniors with chronic conditions are more likely to visit an emergency room or require hospitalization,” Meehan said. “More than a million seniors in Pennsylvania utilize Medicare Advantage plans. This bill will help seniors obtain a Medicare Advantage plan with benefits that best meet their needs. The result will be improved care and services for seniors coping with diabetes, arthritis and other chronic conditions.”
Under its current value-based insurance design model, Medicare Advantage uniformity requirements mandate that Medicare Advantage plan benefits and cost-sharing are the same for all enrollees.
“Many New Jerseyans count on Medicare Advantage,” Lance said. “I am pleased to join Congressman Meehan in this legislation to further advance the goals of Medicare Advantage and help craft a plan to provide patient-specific benefits for chronically ill enrollees. Expanding supplemental benefits can improve the lives of chronically ill individuals enrolled in Medicare Advantage. We want to improve health outcomes while also ensuring the Medicare program is stable and continues to provide high quality health care.”
Allyson Schwartz, the president and CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance, said the organization commends the first steps taken by Meehan, Lance and other lawmakers to provide “a wider range of enhanced benefits critical to the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective health care to beneficiaries with multiple chronic illnesses.”