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Commenting today on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage program for contract year 2024, AHA voiced strong support for proposals to strengthen MA organization oversight and consumer protections and ensure greater equity between Traditional Medicare and the MA program. 

“We especially appreciate CMS’ proposals and clarifications to align and ensure greater equity between Traditional Medicare and the MA program and to explicitly codify that MAOs cannot indiscriminately deny services that would have been covered under Traditional Medicare,” AHA wrote. “We believe the proposed changes will go a long way in ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries have equal access to medically necessary care and consumer protections and that those enrolled in MA will not continue to be unfairly subjected to more restrictive rules and requirements.”

AHA urged CMS to quickly finalize and rigorously enforce these provisions.  

”While these proposals are all critical steps forward in advancing patient access and holding MAOs accountable for adhering to federal rules, we believe a heightened level of enforcement and oversight is needed to facilitate meaningful change,” AHA wrote.

Among other comments, AHA urged CMS to give hospitals and health systems a reasonable timeframe to quantify and return any potential government overpayments once identified.