WASHINGTON, DC - Earlier this week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released plan payment rates in the Medicare Advantage program for 2010 and included steps to reduce payments made to plans due to practices of upcoding.
“CMS has finally sent a clear message to Medicare Advantage plans that they cannot continue to game the system," said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY). "Yet, we are currently paying private plans 14 percent more than traditional Medicare. It is time for Congress to eliminate overpayments to these private plans."???
Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA) agreed. “Yesterday, CMS implemented sound policies that move toward eliminating the wasteful and inaccurate spending in the Medicare Advantage program. I commend them for these measures. However, we know more needs to be done to amend the statute to truly rein in billions of dollars in Medicare Advantage overpayments that are still in place. I’ll be working with the Administration and colleagues in Congress to enact these overdue reforms."
