AHA Statement on CMS Proposed Rule on Medicare Advantage

Ashley Thompson
Senior Vice President, Public Policy Analysis and Development
American Hospital Association

December 15, 2022

The AHA commends CMS for taking important steps to increase oversight of Medicare Advantage plans to help ensure enrollees have equal access to medically necessary health care services that should be covered. The AHA has previously raised concerns about the negative effects of certain Medicare Advantage practices and policies that have the potential to directly harm patients through unnecessary care delays or outright denial of covered services. CMS' proposed rule includes helpful provisions to ensure more consistency between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare by curtailing overly restrictive policies that can impede access to care and add cost and burden to the health care system. We also applaud CMS' attention to access gaps in behavioral health sciences. 

The AHA will continue to carefully review the proposed rule and support efforts to improve the Medicare Advantage program for patients and their providers.

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Contact:    Colin Milligan, cmilligan@aha.org
                  Sean Barry, sbarry@aha.org