Troubled by Too Many Plan Options, MedPAC Agrees to Pursue MA Benefits Standardization

To help overwhelmed seniors make better Medicare Advantage plan comparisons, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) nearly a year ago began discussing the concept of standardizing a limited number of common supplemental benefits in MA. During its September public meeting, MedPAC agreed to devote a chapter of its June 2024 report to standardizing select MA benefits, while several commissioners echoed previous sentiments about striking a balance between standardization and flexibility.

At its November 2022 public meeting, the independent congressional agency considered two different approaches: (1) standardizing a limited number of common supplemental benefits, such as dental, hearing and vision, and (2) standardizing Medicare Parts A and B services, whereby plans use a limited number of benefit packages. But some commissioners at the time expressed concern about potentially hampering MA plan innovation.

© 2023 MMIT
Lauren Flynn Kelly

Lauren Flynn Kelly Managing Editor, Radar on Medicare Advantage

Lauren has been covering health business issues, including drug benefits and specialty pharmacy, for more than a decade. She served as editor of Drug Benefit News (the predecessor to Radar on Drug Benefits) from 2004 to 2005 and again from 2011 to 2016, and now manages Radar on Medicare Advantage. Lauren graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in English.

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