CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, told FOX 5 Atlanta that the government shutdown is not affecting Medicare open enrollment.
“The shutdown is a problem for lots of parts of government but not for [Medicare] open enrollment,” he said. “Medicare is one of those beautiful programs that both Democrats and Republicans love. No one is touching it.”
On Oct. 21, CMS requested that Medicare administrative contractors lift the claims hold for some services taking place on and after Oct. 1. Expired legislative provisions affected funding for these services.
Medicare open enrollment kicked off Oct. 15 and runs until Dec. 7. The annual window allows Medicare beneficiaries to evaluate Medicare Advantage and Part D coverage options.
This year’s period has been marred by concerns over premiums, utilization costs and other industrywide challenges, leading CMS to anticipate a dip in Medicare Advantage enrollment.
At a conference on Oct. 15, Dr. Oz said, “MA is still in its infancy,” identifying pain points like prior authorization. “Can it run? Can it fly?”
