May 23, 2025

Improving Medicare Advantage

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Improving Medicare Advantage

Key Updates

UHG Accused of Blocking Hospital Transfers; Nursing Homes Face Pressure to Comply
CMS to Expand and Accelerate MA Plan Audits to Eliminate Overpayments
Ill-conceived MA Reform Bill Designed to Improve MA, Could End It Instead
Final MA Rules: Higher Plan Payments, Fewer Policy Clarifications
Congressional Letter Urges Alternative to Medicaid Cuts; LeadingAge Supports
Reports: CMS Exploring Ways to Reduce Prior Authorizations
Bipartisan Request Seeks GAO Investigation Into Vertically Integrated MAOs
CMMI Releases Hospice VBID Hospice Findings
Leaked White House HHS Budget Proposal Eliminates MA-Related Programs
Reminder -April 23 LeadingAge Webinar on Medicare Advantage Contracting. 
Wyden Report Explores MA Middlemen’s Marketing Practices
U.S. House Members Urge CMS Action on MA Reform
MedPAC Examines Home Health Use in MA
UnitedHealthcare Eliminates Prior Authorization for Some Home Health Services
Former Medicare Leaders Pen Prior Authorization Reforms Plea
Our MA Flex Cards Advocacy Impact: Summary Plus Resource
UHC Makes Further Updates to Prior Authorization Policies for Outpatient Therapy
UHC Portal Changes: Providers Must Act Before March 6
New KFF Report: More MA Prior Authorizations, Appeals Remain Successful
Proposed CY26 MA Rule Comments: LeadingAge Offers Support, Suggestions
HUD Issues FAQs on How to Treat MA Flex Cards
CMS Proposes 4.33% MA Payment Increase for 2026
MA Flex Cards: CMS Weighs in, but Issues Remain
Analysis: MA Proposed Rule Addresses Flex Cards, Prior Authorization and More
Memo: MA Supplemental Benefits Not Income for SNAP
CMS: Excess Costs Kill MA VBID Program
Prior Authorization Bill Omitted from Year-End Package
OIG Fraud Alert Warns of Marketing Schemes, Prohibited Activities
LeadingAge Reax: Contract Year (CY) 2026 MA and Part D proposed rule (CMS-4208-P)
LeadingAge Recommends Improvements to CMS' MA Plan Data Collection Efforts
MedPAC to Analyze MA Network Adequacy in 2025, including PAC Access
HUD Officials: Clarification on MA Flex Cards Coming
Analysis: Senate Report on MA Plans Reveals ‘Troubling Data’
BMA Analysis of 2025 MA Offerings Says Beneficiaries to Experience Significant Disruptions
New Resource: Top 5 Things to Know About Medicare Open Enrollment
LeadingAge, Post-Acute Care Organizations Laud Senate Report Findings
UHC Clarifies PA Requirements for Outpatient Therapies
LeadingAge Reax to U.S. Senate Committee Report on Medicare Advantage Plans' Denials of Care
LeadingAge Supports Legislators’ Ask for Federal Guidance on MA Flex Cards
MedPAC Presents Initial Look at Home Health MA Use
MedPAC Examines MA Plan Supplemental Benefit Financing; Signals Future Look at Usage, Transparency
LeadingAge Comments on CMS Prior Authorization Data Collection
Discouraging enrollment, Sen. Blumenthal says, "... no advantage to Medicare Advantage"
CT Study Examines MA Plans Practices--and Impacts
Following Meeting, CMS Requests More Data on MA Plans’ PA Noncompliance
Report: Urban Institute Examines Complaint Process in Medicare, Medicare Advantage
UHC Gold Card Program Begins October 1, 2024
LeadingAge Seeks to Eliminate Negative Impacts of MA Flex Cards on Beneficiaries
UHC Sends Mixed Messages on Application of New Prior Authorization Therapy Policy.
LeadingAge Meets with CMS Principal Deputy on MA Flex Benefit Impacts on PACE
Reports Show MA Prior Authorization Denials and Rebates on the Rise
Health Plans Groups Will Use Beneficiaries to Make Case for Support of MA
New Outpatient Therapy Prior Authorization Requirements Do Not Apply to SNFs and HHAs
United Healthcare to Limit Prior Authorization for Some Services; Details Forthcoming
OIG Has Additional Questions on MA Authorization Processes
Recording and Tools: MA Prior Authorization Data Collection Initiative Explainer
LeadingAge Sends Letter to CMS Administrator Seeking MA Marketing Protections for PACE enrollees
LeadingAge Launches MA Prior Authorization Data Collection Initiative, Seeking Member Data
Member Input Needed on MA Reauthorizations/Concurrent Reviews for OIG by Aug. 2
MA Plans Exposed for Documenting Unsupported Diagnoses Leading to Higher Payments Again
LeadingAge Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Call for Increased Guardrails for MA Use of AI
Use of Medicare Advantage by HUD-Assisted Older Adults
OIG Hears LeadingAge Plea for Deeper Look at MA Prior Authorizations
Bipartisan Bill to Improve Prior Authorization Processes, Transparency and Accountability Reintroduced
MedPAC Releases June 2024 Report to Congress
LeadingAge: MA Provider Payment Adequacy Must Be Assessed
2025 MA Final Policy Rule Adopts More Improvements
Share Your Ideas to Improve the MA Complaint Process
CMS Finalizes CY2025 MA Policy and Technical Rule  
CMS Finalizes Average 3.7% Rate Increase for MA Plans in 2025
OIG Hears LeadingAge Members’ Experiences with MA Plan Prior Authorizations
OIG Examining MA Prior Authorization Concerns, Member Input Wanted
Members Join Senator, CMS Administrator in Roundtable on Medicare Advantage
LeadingAge Comments on Proposed CY2025 MA Payment Advance Notice
MA Advocacy Yields New Resources to Help Members
Bipartisan Senate Bill Seeks Greater MA Transparency
State Partner Testifies at Senate Aging Committee Hearing
Change Healthcare Cyberattack Impacting Health Care Providers
MA Guidance Includes PACE Data Submission Requirements
LeadingAge, Hospice Community Respond to CMMI on Hospice VBID
CMS Confirms “Failure to Improve” Not Grounds for Medicare Advantage Termination of Skilled Services
Medicare Advantage FAQs Bring Needed Answers for Post-Acute Care Providers
Medicare Advantage 2024 By the Numbers
CMS Proposes 3.7% Increase to MA Rates—or Is it a Cut?
Senators Submit Conflicting Requests to CMS on MA
MedPAC Debate on MA Turns Contentious
Administration Seeks MA Data Transparency
CMS to Enforce CY2024 MA Rules in Year One
LeadingAge Submits Comments on Proposed CY2025 MA Rule
See Something, Say Something on MA Plan Compliance
CMS Puts Plans on Notice About Complying with CY2024 MA rules and Adequate Payments for Vaccine Administration
Bipartisan Group of Senators Tells CMS More, Better MA Data Needed
PAC Coalition Asks CMS for More Guidance on New Rules
Proposed MA Rule Appears to Hold Good News
Managed Care Solutions Tip for MA Coverage Approvals
MedPAC Examines Key MA Concerns
LeadingAge Asks Better Medicare Alliance to Consider Provider-Friendly Proposals
States Request Regulatory Authority Over MA Plans
51% of Medicare Beneficiaries Enroll In Medicare Advantage
MA Premiums Remain Stable in 2024
MA Impacts on Medicare and Its Beneficiaries: MedPAC Workplan
Senator Cassidy Suggests Separate Approach for Regulating AI in Health Care
Medicaid MCO Denials Prompt Congressional Review
MA Plans See Vastly Increased Bonus Payments
KFF: How Do Dual-Eligible Individuals Get Their Medicare Coverage?
Policymakers Continue Push for Prior Authorization Improvements, Related Rules Meet Resistance
MA Nursing Home Utilization Increased, Length of Stay Declined
BMA Report Claims Medicare Beneficiaries Do Better Under MA
New Study Says MA Plans Overpaid by 20%
CMS Releases Data on MA Enrollees' Nursing Home Use
Final Rule: MA Plans Must Cover Traditional Medicare
Senate Hearing Details Coverage Denials, Barriers to Access by MA Plans
Denials and Appeals at MACPAC
3.32% MA Rate Increase for CY2024
MA PHE Accommodations to End May 11
MA Rates Rise for CY2024, Part D Costs to Fall
New LeadingAge Report on Medicare Advantage: We Can Do Better
LeadingAge Paper: MA Plans Not Delivering on Promise to Consumers
LeadingAge Comments on Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Processes
LeadingAge Offers Suggestions on Medicare Advantage Rule
Ideas on Duals Integration Shared with Senate
Proposed MA Rule Responds to Concerns About Access to Care and Marketing
LeadingAge Requests Meeting on Future of Medicare and Medicare Advantage
OIG: Support Needed for Medicaid Managed Care Appeals