More members of Congress are speaking out urging CMS to make changes to proposed Medicare Advantage payment rates for next year. The latest is a new letter from Senators Baucus and Hatch expressing support for Medicare Advantage and raising concerns about the impact CMS’ proposed cut would have on seniors in the program. Their letter urges CMS to assume Congress will prevent the scheduled cut to physician payments as they have always done:
“The SGR ‘cliff’ threatens deep cuts that have been prevented by legislative action each of the last 11 years. MA payment rates should reflect this reality. We also understand the Medicare-Medicaid Financial Alignment Demonstration will pay plans a rate that assumes the scheduled cuts under the SGR will not occur. This confirms to us that CMS believes adjusting MA payment rates to reflect a more realistic physician payment outlook is the correct policy. We ask that in the final rate notice set to be released on April 1st, CMS adjust the MA growth rate to assume the large, scheduled cut to physician payment will be prevented by legislative action.”
The new letter follows a bipartisan letter sent by 98 members of the U.S. House of Representatives earlier today also urging CMS to make changes to the proposed Medicare Advantage payment rates.
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