Medicare Rights Center Wants Obama to Act Fast on
Medicare Private Plans
MRC issues plan to protect Medicare consumers based
on ten key points
Dec.
15, 2008 - Quick action is needed by the incoming Obama Administration
to enact basic consumer protections under Medicare private health and
drug plans, according to a 50-page memorandum to the Obama transition
team issued by the Medicare Rights Center.
After a year of preparation by panel, Senator’s “Call
to Action” details policy options, goals for reform; draws backing of
Center for Medicare Advocacy
“Senator Daschle and his impressive health care
team can tackle the immense challenge of making our fractured, costly
and dysfunctional health care system work for all Americans,” Medicare
Rights Center President Robert M. Hayes said.
“From day one, we look to the Obama Administration
to reverse the Bush Administration’s failure to protect the interests of
Medicare consumers. The new president and his health care team should be
ready to promulgate sensible rules that, together with smart
enforcement, will force improved care and enhanced value from private
Medicare health and prescription drug plans.”
The Medicare Rights Center’s transition memo
proposed ten actions that the new leadership of the Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services can take in the coming months. The recommendations
are:
● Ensure that all Medicare “Advantage” health
plans provide adequate financial protection for enrollees who have high
out-of-pocket costs for medical services.
● Require Medicare Advantage plans that serve
people with low incomes or chronic illnesses to provide adequate care
coordination.
● Allow state insurance departments a greater
role in preventing and punishing abusive marketing by Medicare Advantage
plans.
● Prevent pharmacy benefit managers from
inflating the price of drugs under the Part D prescription drug benefit.
● Stabilize Part D drug coverage for low-income
people with Medicare.
● Ensure that low-income people with Medicare
are enrolled in drug plans that best meet their needs.
● Allow prescription drug plans to cover uses of
drugs that are supported by clinical evidence in peer-reviewed medical
journals.
● Strengthen consumers’ ability to appeal when
coverage of medically necessary medicines is denied by Part D drug
plans.
● Require Part D drug plans to automatically
reimburse low-income enrollees for excess premiums and copayments paid.
● Collect data from Part D plans to ensure
appeals and transition policies prevent disruptions to drug regimens.
All the transition memo proposals can be
implemented by the new administration without changes to legislation,
according to the MRC.
The Obama transition team Website has a page on
positions that pertain to issues of interest to senior citizens –
click here.
The 50-age recommendation is available in pdf
format by
clicking here.
Medicare Rights Center is a national,
not-for-profit consumer service organization that works to ensure access
to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities
through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and public policy
initiatives.
www.medicarerights.org
To learn more about Medicare consumers’ rights and
protections, log on to Medicare Interactive Counselor at
www.medicareinteractive.org.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
Dec.
15, 2008 - Quick action is needed by the incoming Obama Administration
to enact basic consumer protections under Medicare private health and
drug plans, according to a 50-page memorandum to the Obama transition
team issued by the Medicare Rights Center.
After a year of preparation by panel, Senator’s “Call
to Action” details policy options, goals for reform; draws backing of
Center for Medicare Advocacy