Tag: Better Medicare Alliance (BMA)
BMA joins sign-on letter
March 2, 2023HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Better Medicare Alliance has joined 40 other organizations in signing an “ally” letter to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure urging the administration to reconsider risk adjustment changes proposed for the 2024 plan year to Medicare Advantage plans. "We are pleased to join a robust and diverse group of 40 provider, minority health and community-based organizations who are concerned that CMS's proposal will harm the 30 million seniors and people with disabilities...
BMA applauds proposed rule on PAs
December 7, 2022HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Better Medicare Alliance, a research and advocacy organization, believes a CMS proposed rule on prior authorizations for Medicare Advantage plans will help to coordinate safe, effective care and streamline the process. “While we continue to review the proposed rule in closer detail, we believe it complements our goals of protecting prior authorization’s essential function in coordinating safe, effective, high-value care, while also building on the Medicare Advantage...
Supplemental benefits on the rise for Medicare Advantage
November 22, 2022HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – Supplemental benefit offerings in Medicare Advantage, including in-home support services, caregiver support, home-based palliative care and therapeutic massage, increased for the upcoming year, according to a new brief commission by Better Medicare Alliance and prepared by the actuarial consulting firm Milliman. Overall, the number of Medicare Advantage plans to offer at least one of the five recently expanded supplemental benefits jumped 35% from 2022 to 2023, with the largest...
BMA applauds House for passing Medicare Advantage bill
September 15, 2022HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Better Medicare Alliance applauds the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 3173, the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act. The bipartisan legislation, which was sponsored by Reps. Suzan DelBen, D-Wash., Mike Kelly, R-Pa., Ami Bera, MD, D-Calif., and Larry Bucshon, MD, R-Ind., and endorsed by Better Medicare Alliance, would modernize the way Medicare Advantage uses prior authorization as a clinical tool to coordinate beneficiary care. “The Improving...
Analysis: Seniors save with Medicare Advantage
April 20, 2022HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – Beneficiaries with Medicare Advantage have $1,965 less in total annual health spending than those with fee-for-service Medicare, according to analysis conducted by ATI Advisory and supported by Better Medicare Alliance.
“As this study shows, the path to meaningfully addressing Americans’ concerns about out-of-pocket costs and health care affordability and access for our nation’s seniors leads us to Medicare Advantage,” said Mary Beth Donahue,...
Better Medicare Alliance encourages CMS to delay some proposed changes
March 9, 2022HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Better Medicare Alliance has issued comments in response to CMS’s 2023 Medicare Advantage and Part D Advance Notice and proposed rule, asking the agency to consider the full impact of maximum out-of-pocket costs. “As we heartily support CMS in many of these efforts, our comments also encourage the agency to consider the full impact of maximum out-of-pocket changes that could disproportionately impact plans that serve higher proportions of dual-eligible beneficiaries...
Better Medicare Alliance applauds Medicare Advantage changes
February 3, 2022HME News Staff
Washington, D.C. – CMS’s 2023 Medicare Advantage Advance Notice will “ensure stability” for beneficiaries, says Better Medicare Alliance, a research and advocacy organization supporting Medicare Advantage. The notice, which is open for comment for 30 days, details CMS’s plans to change the Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings to take into account how well each plan advances health equity and how often they are screening for common health-related social needs, such...
Better Medicare Alliance launches TV ad
January 19, 2022HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - Better Medicare Alliance has launched a new television in Washington, D.C., as part of a seven-figure campaign touting the success of Medicare Advantage. The 30-second ad, titled “It’s Working,” will run on cable news and network Sunday shows in the D.C. region, alongside ads across digital and social platforms. “29.5 million seniors and individuals with disabilities will enroll in Medicare Advantage this year alone, and 9 out of 10 beneficiaries are satisfied...
Medicare Advantage popular with dual eligibles, according to new brief
December 14, 2021HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – A greater proportion of dual-eligible beneficiaries choose enrollment in Medicare Advantage over fee-for-service Medicare only, according to a new data brief commissioned by Better Medicare Alliance. Dual-eligible beneficiaries comprise 23% of the total Medicare Advantage population compared to 17% in FFS Medicare, and 44% of all dual-eligible beneficiaries choose Medicare Advantage compared to 35% of non-dually eligible Medicare beneficiaries. “This latest research is a...
New report backs Medicare Advantage
October 26, 2021HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – Better Medicare Alliance has released a new report conducted by Milliman highlighting the value of Medicare Advantage to the federal government. The report finds that Medicare Advantage provides $32.5 billion annually in additional benefits and lower out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries, or about $123.36 per member per month. “This independent, actuarial report offers an important look at Medicare Advantage’s value to beneficiaries and the federal government,”...