About 82% of the more than 16,000 available public comments on the 2027 Medicare Advantage proposed rate notice share the perspective and language of a letter from the Medicare Advantage Majority, a group with undisclosed funding sources and founders, according to a March 12 KFF Health News report.
“Medicare Advantage is not optional for me. The cost protections alone have saved me thousands of dollars and made my healthcare manageable. Without this program, I would face higher costs, fewer providers and fewer benefits at a time when I can least afford it,” part of the letter template said.
According to the Medicare Advantage Majority’s website, one of the organization’s goals is to “mobilize and empower beneficiaries, caregivers and healthcare providers to use their voices in support of protecting the future of the Medicare Advantage program.”
A Feb. 11 post by Medicare Advantage Majority spokesperson Darren Grubb encouraged readers to contact their legislators, shortly before the Feb. 25 comment deadline for CMS. The organization’s website has a letter-writing campaign with another default template available for lawmaker communications.
The Medicare Advantage Majority has also advertised its message through Facebook. KFF calculated the group spent $3.1 million on such ads since September 2024.
CMS received just under 47,000 comments on its 2027 proposed rate notice, a record-breaking total, but only about 16,400 are available on the docket, as of March 13. In January, CMS proposed nearly flat Medicare Advantage payments for 2027, sparking backlash from insurer groups. A final rate announcement is expected in April.
Becker’s contacted the Medicare Advantage Majority and will update this story if more information becomes available.
