At an Oct. 2 press conference, Mr. Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat and chair of the subcommittee, said he would not preview the findings of the report, but said it would be published soon.
“Anybody following our hearings and public comments knows our findings will be very dramatic and powerful,” Mr. Blumenthal said. “What we have found is, essentially, there is no advantage for people in Medicare Advantage, all too often.”
In remarks at a press conference with Connecticut lawmakers and the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Mr. Blumenthal expressed concern with Medicare Advantage plans’ prior authorization requirements, including the use of AI.
In 2023, Mr. Blumenthal sent letters to CVS Health, Humana and UnitedHealth Group seeking internal documents detailing how the companies decide to approve or deny claims, including how the payers use artificial intelligence in the process.
“I want to put these companies on notice. If you deny lifesaving coverage to seniors, we’re watching, we will expose you, we will demand better, we will pass legislation if necessary,” Mr. Blumenthal said in 2023.
Medicare Advantage plans have faced scrutiny from lawmakers over a number of issues in recent years, including prior authorization requirements, overpayments and misleading marketing.
