WASHINGTON, D.C. - Republican Leadership joined House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) in urging the Administration to abandon its proposed changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA) Employer Group Waiver Plans (EGWPs). These changes would negatively impact millions of Americans who rely on EGWPs for high-quality health care.
In a letter ) to Acting Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Andy Slavitt, the members wrote:
“We are concerned that the proposed changes could result in disruptive and potentially harmful payment cuts to MA retiree health plans …
“With one in five MA enrollees enjoying coverage through an EGWP, millions of retirees in MA EGWP coverage like the plan they have and want to keep it. Moving forward with the proposed policy changes within the timeframe CMS envisions could result in more seniors losing their current coverage and being thrust into an unmanaged fee-for-service system. If such changes were implemented, retirees could experience fewer health care choices and unexpected additional out-of-pocket costs.
“In the interest of protecting retirees and avoiding seniors losing coverage that coordinates their care, we encourage CMS to scrap the proposed changes to MA EGWPs when finalizing the CY 2017 MA policies. We also note that, due to the short time frame between when the proposed policy changes would be effective and when they would have to be implemented by CMS and plans, the proposed policy changes could seriously inhibit employers’ ability to deliver on their commitment to offer retiree coverage through MA EGWPs in 2017 to retirees."
BACKGROUND:
On Feb. 19, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an Advanced Notice proposing changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D programs’ payments and policies for CY 2017. Bipartisan leaders of the Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees sent a letter to Acting CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt on March 4, 2016, expressing concerns about several proposed changes, including changes to EGWPs. The letter sent by Republican leaders today explicitly requests that CMS abandon its EGWP proposal before it issues a final rule next week.
