Obama Administration Plans to Cut Medicare Advantage Reimbursements

medx

Guru
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Texas
March 14, 2013
By Matt Cover

The new cuts come in the form of a planned reduction in the reimbursement rates the government pays to insurance companies that operate Medicare Advantage plans, which are services administered by private for-profit or non-profit providers that offer additional services than can be found in traditional Medicare.

In a Feb. 15 regulatory filing, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the surprised rate cuts of 2.3 percent – meaning it would pay health care providers 2.3 percent less for providing services to patients. CMS said it was cutting payments because it foresaw the overall costs of the Medicare Advantage program shrinking by 3.2 percent, despite the fact that health care costs – the driver of all federal health care program costs – are only rising.



Obama Administration Plans to Cut Medicare Advantage Reimbursements | CNS News
 
it foresaw the overall costs of the Medicare Advantage program shrinking by 3.2 percent

Based on what criteria?

This move, plus the Obamacrap cuts, will shift costs to seniors.

Higher premiums, higher copay & OOP.
 
And AHIP has done what to change anything? Useless organization, no disrespect to you Midwest
 
Based on what criteria?

This move, plus the Obamacrap cuts, will shift costs to seniors.

Higher premiums, higher copay & OOP.

I agree, higher cost overall to the sr... Also read an article the other day that once the 85% claim ratio takes effect next year, almost all ma plans will have a $50-$90 month premium. Has anyone else seen anything like that?
 
I agree, higher cost overall to the sr... Also read an article the other day that once the 85% claim ratio takes effect next year, almost all ma plans will have a $50-$90 month premium. Has anyone else seen anything like that?

I received an email from anthem today stating that the premiums will likely go up to that amount and most plans will not be able I survive. It said for agents to write in and fight it but I will be happy to see them go...
 
I agree, higher cost overall to the sr... Also read an article the other day that once the 85% claim ratio takes effect next year, almost all ma plans will have a $50-$90 month premium. Has anyone else seen anything like that?

Completely Untrue. A lot of companies already operate at that level.
 
I think the landscape next year will look like 2005 and prior. There were MA plans in major metro areas and a few others here and there. The rural market will return mostly to supps.

The difference is back then, most MA sales were done by a captive sales force. There were brokers here and there that did MA production, but most were captive agents. Now that agents know more about MA plans, I judge the broker community will still have some production, not as much as last year, but more than 2005 and prior.

I also judge that larger FMO's will be the ones handling MA production for brokers. Carriers may want to limit their liability with independent agents. May not happen next year, but I see that on the horizon.

MA premiums will rise and other benefits (vision, hearing, health club) may go away. I know one of the main plans here in Kansas City was $50+ per month prior to 2005. The past 7 years it has hovered between $8 and $21 per month. Senior will be upset at the increase in premium, but since it will be a nationwide event and not just a handful of carriers, the market and seniors will just have to accept.

Just my thoughts...I have been known to be wrong before.
 
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