A Very Scary Proposal

[javmd]

Please read the link to the well written opinion piece in The Hill.  House Bill 3467 now in committee proposes automatic enrollment for new Medicare signups into the lowest cost Medicare Advantage plan which would be irrevocable for 3 years.  There would be an optout button, as long as people were able to find it.

https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5617927-congress-medicare-reform-dangers/

Here is the link to the bill: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3467.  You can read the full text.  Even more telling is the remarks of the AZ rep (Repub Schweiekert) a bloated verbosity.

Here are the pertinent provisions.  The text speaks for itself.  CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TO STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS.

(From the Bill)

(a) Automatic enrollment.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2028, the Secretary shall provide for the automatic enrollment of each individual entitled to benefits under part A and enrolled under part B into the MA plan with the lowest premium available to such individual.

(b) Mandatory continuous enrollment.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, except as provided in paragraph (2), in the case of an individual who enrolls in an MA plan for a plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2028, such individual may not, for the 3-year period beginning on the date such individual so enrolls in such MA plan—

“(A) enroll in any other MA plan under this part; or

“(B) elect to receive benefits under this title through traditional fee-for-service Medicare under part A or B.

[GailL1]

BIG  DUMB IDEA - the guy does not even understand Medicare or why we even have Medicare Advantage plans.

We need to give them a knowledge test BEFORE they are able to open their mouth or (OH, the Indiginity) of writing a piece of legislation that makes absolutely NO sense. 

[GailL1]

To add a bit to my post from earlier today - this Congressman [ Schweiekert ] has been in Congress 11 years and is currently on the House Ways and Means Committee - why does he not know better?????

Does he not realize that health care is fluid and therefore the reason why we have an annual enrollment period [ AEP ] - health changes, medications change too so it is best to be able to pick and choose what one currently needs.  

Also providers in-network can change but we should be able to do something about this since to me, all that is necessary is some timing restrictions when a provider can leave a plan and make it consistent to all insurers and providers.  

Instead of all this negotiations between MA insurers and providers perhaps we need to look at all these hospital groups buying up providers and provider groups and let them establish their own MA plans - At least that way, the push and pull of saving cost would stay in-house, so to speak.