BMA Asks CMS to Enhance, Solidify Medicare Advantage Benefits

December 08, 2021 - Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) has penned a letter to CMS detailing a number of Medicare Advantage policy recommendations regarding Medicare Advantage benefits and care coordination, health equity, and in-home health risk assessments. Supplemental benefits are a key feature of Medicare Advantage plans that work to address beneficiaries’ health in a holistic manner and enable care coordination. According to the letter, BMA wants to ensure that this will not change.

The organization has asked CMS to maintain policies that allow Medicare Advantage plans to flexibly design and offer supplement benefits to beneficiaries. According to BMA, this flexibility allows plans to target specific issues through tailored benefits. Additionally, many supplemental benefits prioritize non-medical needs including food, transportation, and support at home. These benefits may also help health plans address substance use disorder, as they can offer telehealth services, counseling, and transportation to treatment appointments.