Medicare Update: CMS Releases Proposed Rule Intended to Improve Protections for Medicare Advantage Enrollees

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued a Press Release and released a display copy of a Proposed Rule that is intended to improve the performance of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans by strengthening Medicare participation standards.

Among other things, CMS reports that the Proposed Rule would:

* Strengthen CMS's ability to identify and approve qualified drug and health plans;
* Improve beneficiary protections from discriminatory cost sharing by clarifying health plan requirements related to out-of-pocket costs and cost sharing; and
* Eliminate duplication in drug and health plan bids submitted by the same organization by requiring a meaningful difference between an organization's product offerings with regard to premiums, beneficiary out-of-pocket costs, plan types, and formulary offerings.

The comment period on the Proposed Rule will close on December 8, 2009. The Proposed Rule is scheduled to appear in the Federal Register on October 22, 2009.


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