The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) released policy issues it will be working on during the 2023-2024 meeting cycle. Traditionally, MedPAC’s agenda is shaped by a combination of statutory requirements, congressional interest, and interests of the Commission.

MedPAC is looking at several issues of particular interest to LeadingAge including staffing at skilled nursing facilities, the Acute Care Hospital at Home program, analyses related to telehealth, Medicare’s payments for beneficiaries receiving hospice care, and Medicare’s support of providers in rural areas. In response to substantial growth of Medicare Advantage (MA), the Commission will discuss coding intensity, standardizing enrollee cost sharing and certain supplemental benefits, favorable selection in MA, and dual-eligible special needs plans, as well as MA plan quality. The Commission also intends to update its work on MA encounter data and introduce an analysis comparing those data with what MA plans submit as part of their bids.

Finally, in addition to the two statutory reports required in March and June each year, MedPAC has two additional statutory requirements this year for an assessment of the Medicare Advantage (MA) special needs plans from the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 and, for the first time, MedPAC will publish a review of the new rural emergency hospital payment model, as mandated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.

LeadingAge staff will attend each MedPAC meeting and report back on the conversations.