Bera Commends Decision to Strengthen Medicare Advantage

Press Release

CMS announced yesterday that Medicare Advantage rates for 2016 will increase by an average of 1.25 percent, a reversal from the 0.95 percent cut CMS proposed in February. Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. fought against the proposed cuts that would have increased costs for seniors and blocked their access to care. He offered the following comment:

"As a doctor, I know firsthand how critical strengthening Medicare is for our seniors, and how much seniors in Sacramento County especially rely on Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage is a program that works. It delivers improved health outcomes for patients while also bringing down costs for nearly 100,000 seniors in our area, and I'm pleased the Administration listened to our calls to stop the cuts. This step will protect seniors from significant increases in costs or cuts in benefits, and ensure this critical program is there for the people who need it. We also must continue to ensure the most vulnerable seniors, particularly those with chronic conditions, have access to high quality and preventive health care and I'll continue to fight for that."

Medicare Advantage plans cover 44 percent of Medicare recipients in Sacramento County, nearly 100,000 seniors. More than 90 percent of people using Medicare Advantage have access to a $0 premium plan. Bera called on the Administration to reverse course and reconsider the proposed cuts in multiple letters, including one signed by 239 of his colleagues.

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