The federal government will soon announce its payment rates and policy changes for the Medicare Advantage program. Here's how you can influence their decision.
The federal government will soon announce its payment rates and policy changes for the Medicare Advantage program. Here's how you can influence their decision.
In the coming days, the federal government will announce whether big health insurers that run the private Medicare Advantage program will receive billions more of taxpayer dollars in 2025.
The money "saved" by denying this obscene increase to private insurance companies should be used to eliminate the so called "medigap"--the 20% that medicare doesn't cover, forcing seniors to buy expensive "medigap" insurance or join a Medicare (Dis)Advantage plan.
Thank you Wendell Potter for this call to action and suggested talking points. The fraudulent practices of Medicare Advantage and their predatory actions on vulnerable seniors must be stopped.
Voting on whether on not to keep sending government funds to private, predatory corporations happens soon.
Here is a copy of what I sent if anyone would like to use it, along with links to White House and find your representatives and senators.
Dear XXX
I am writing to request that taxpayer dollars stop going to Medicare advantage. This is urgent. The government is enriching a few corporate executives and shareholders with money that should be used to improve traditional Medicare. If you don’t act soon, traditional Medicare will disappear as an option for our most vulnerable citizens, and the executives and shareholders that prey on them will get even richer–with our tax dollars.
In the coming days, CMS will announce how much more of our tax dollars will go to big insurers that market these hugely profitable plans next year. I’m asking you to tell CMS not to give those companies a raise and to get serious about ending this money grab.
Medicare Advantage marketing is predatory, deceptive, and fraudulent, and preys on vulnerable seniors as was reported by the 2022 Majority Staff of the US Senate Committee on Finance.
Physicians for a National Health Care Program reported in 2022 Medicare Advantage overcharges taxpayers by a minimum of 22% or $88 billion per year, and potentially by up to 35% or $140 billion.
Medicare Advantage hurts those who subscribe to it through denial of care while simultaneously fraudulently billing the government. A 2022 study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that Medicare Advantage patients had higher mortality rates and had to wait longer for cancer surgery.
If Medicare Advantage Plans are cheating Medicare out of many billions, why isn't it the responsibility of the Medicare Trustees--appointed by the President--to put an end to the fraud and abuse? Giving them more money would indicate that --if it doesn't already--they, including Sec. Janet Yellen, are complicit in this fraud and abuse. Furthermore, that would implicate their boss, the President. A trustee who allows or cooperates with fraud should be liable for the offenses. Seems like there are grounds for a lawsuit or criminal prosecution, or at minimum, dismissal of all complicit Trustees as well as the Administrator.
One part of the MA scam machine that remains little covered is the “over the counter drug” benefits that many plans now offer. These debit cards are effectively cash in the hands of members who loyalty plans can buy with $5-$10 more a month. I’ve heard form brokers that seniors will switch to a worse plan and not evaluate the network as soon as one plan offers a little more monthly pharmacy/grocery cash. These are not “health related” benefits as the federal regulation requires, but cash inducements.
The only reason plans can give away cash to buy seniors affection is they are grossly
The money "saved" by denying this obscene increase to private insurance companies should be used to eliminate the so called "medigap"--the 20% that medicare doesn't cover, forcing seniors to buy expensive "medigap" insurance or join a Medicare (Dis)Advantage plan.
Done! Thank you for your work Mr. Potter!
Thank you Wendell Potter for this call to action and suggested talking points. The fraudulent practices of Medicare Advantage and their predatory actions on vulnerable seniors must be stopped.
Voting on whether on not to keep sending government funds to private, predatory corporations happens soon.
Here is a copy of what I sent if anyone would like to use it, along with links to White House and find your representatives and senators.
Dear XXX
I am writing to request that taxpayer dollars stop going to Medicare advantage. This is urgent. The government is enriching a few corporate executives and shareholders with money that should be used to improve traditional Medicare. If you don’t act soon, traditional Medicare will disappear as an option for our most vulnerable citizens, and the executives and shareholders that prey on them will get even richer–with our tax dollars.
In the coming days, CMS will announce how much more of our tax dollars will go to big insurers that market these hugely profitable plans next year. I’m asking you to tell CMS not to give those companies a raise and to get serious about ending this money grab.
Medicare Advantage marketing is predatory, deceptive, and fraudulent, and preys on vulnerable seniors as was reported by the 2022 Majority Staff of the US Senate Committee on Finance.
Physicians for a National Health Care Program reported in 2022 Medicare Advantage overcharges taxpayers by a minimum of 22% or $88 billion per year, and potentially by up to 35% or $140 billion.
Medicare Advantage hurts those who subscribe to it through denial of care while simultaneously fraudulently billing the government. A 2022 study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that Medicare Advantage patients had higher mortality rates and had to wait longer for cancer surgery.
How to reach White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/get-involved/write-or-call/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Your representatives https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#:~:text=If%20you%20know%20who%20your,the%20U.S.%20House%20switchboard%20operator
Senators: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
If Medicare Advantage Plans are cheating Medicare out of many billions, why isn't it the responsibility of the Medicare Trustees--appointed by the President--to put an end to the fraud and abuse? Giving them more money would indicate that --if it doesn't already--they, including Sec. Janet Yellen, are complicit in this fraud and abuse. Furthermore, that would implicate their boss, the President. A trustee who allows or cooperates with fraud should be liable for the offenses. Seems like there are grounds for a lawsuit or criminal prosecution, or at minimum, dismissal of all complicit Trustees as well as the Administrator.
Wendell, thank you as always.
One part of the MA scam machine that remains little covered is the “over the counter drug” benefits that many plans now offer. These debit cards are effectively cash in the hands of members who loyalty plans can buy with $5-$10 more a month. I’ve heard form brokers that seniors will switch to a worse plan and not evaluate the network as soon as one plan offers a little more monthly pharmacy/grocery cash. These are not “health related” benefits as the federal regulation requires, but cash inducements.
The only reason plans can give away cash to buy seniors affection is they are grossly
Overpaid.