Policy Updates

As Medicare Advantage insurance companies continue to grow in popularity, it’s important for our nation’s health policy leaders to ensure that MA enrollees have access to the same level of medically-necessary coverage as traditional Medicare. Fortunately, CMS has proposed a…

Payer executives are still taking stock of tougher Medicare Advantage auditing standards CMS unveiled Jan. 31.  

A federal judge in Texas has handed another win to the Texas Medical Association and medical providers nationwide against HHS over a challenge to the arbitration process between out-of-network providers and payers that was established under the No Surprises Act.

Proposed Medicare Advantage plan rates introduced by CMS could have some impacts on revenue, but it's too early to see the full scope, Cigna CEO David Cordani told investors on a Feb. 3 call transcribed by Seeking Alpha. 

CMS is looking to create a "universal foundation" of quality measures across all its programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid.

CMS is expecting a small revenue bump of 1.03 percent on average for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans in 2024 as part of a slate of potential risk adjustment and star ratings changes that has some industry leaders concerned. 

CMS' new Medicare Advantage auditing standards did not include enough information about auditing methods to understand its full impacts, Humana executives said on a Feb. 1 investor call. 

CMS will implement stricter audits of Medicare Advantage plans, a move that could leave payers on the hook for billions of dollars in repayments to the federal government. 

HHS is proposing a new pathway for no-cost contraceptive coverage for employees of organizations with religious objections to covering these services. 

 A proposed rule change coming from CMS is making payers nervous.