WSSRA Retirees—
With the recent cost increases to Uniform Medical Plan Classic, coupled with the federal subsidies that are contained in Medicare Advantage programs offered by PEBB through Kaiser Permanente and United Health Care, many of you may want to offer comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) per the announcement below. As those of us using UMP Classic know all too well, it is difficult and perhaps impossible for non-Advantage program like UMP to compete fairly given subsidies offered to Advantage programs. The paragraph below come from David Iseminger, PEBB and SEBB Program Director for the Health Care Authority.
Alan Burke, Executive Director
As individuals/organizations in recent months that I’m aware may be heavily interested in providing comment to The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Medicare Advantage programs, CMS released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public comment on the Medicare Advantage program. In some summaries I’ve read about the RFI, CMS indicates they are “soliciting input on how the agency can enhance health equity through MA, strengthen beneficiary access to health services, drive innovation to promote person-centered care, support affordability and sustainability of the program, and better engage stakeholders to improve the program. The RFI is a part of CMS’s efforts to prioritize increased engagement with stakeholders in the policy development and implementation process.”