DeLauro Announces Medicare Advantage Participant Bill of Rights Act

Press Release

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today announced she will introduce the Medicare Advantage Participant Bill of Rights Act. The legislation was developed as a result of UnitedHealth Group's unprecedented dropping of doctors from their Medicare Advantage networks, including the entire Yale-New Haven Hospital network. The legislation was endorsed today by the Connecticut State Medical Society. Over 32,000 Connecticut Medicare Advantage participants were affected by this last year. DeLauro previously requested a Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation into Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) oversight of UnitedHealth's actions.

"The timing and scale of UnitedHealth Group's provider cuts have been extremely disruptive to patient care and put participants at risk. The CMS have a responsibility to ensure that Medicare Advantage plans are serving the needs of their participants. The protections they announced Monday are a step in the right direction, but we can do better. That is why I will be introducing the Medicare Advantage Participant Bill of Rights Act, which would prohibit Medicare Advantage organizations, like UnitedHealth, from dropping providers at any time during the year without cause. Congress has to hold these companies accountable, and make sure they are putting the care of their enrollees ahead of their profits."

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