AHIP has addressed letters to the bipartisan sponsors of the “Medicare Advantage Quality Payment Relief Act.” The Senate bill was introduced by Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Angus King (I-ME). The House bill was introduced by Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Mike Doyle (D-PA).
This legislation would remove a payment cap (“benchmark cap”) that currently prohibits Medicare Advantage plans operating in certain parts of the country from receiving the full quality bonus payments they have earned under the program’s Star Ratings System.
Our letter explains: “For many Americans with a Medicare Advantage plan, this payment cap creates an unlevel playing field, which means that seniors participating in these plans could be missing out on important savings and services. This policy is inconsistent with the broader goals of rewarding high quality performance and continued improvement in the delivery of care to people eligible for Medicare.”