Proposed Cuts To Medicare Advantage Plans Would Lead To Higher Costs, Reduced Coverage For Beneficiaries, BlueCross BlueShield Assoc. Officials Say

BlueCross BlueShield Association officials at a press briefing on Tuesday said that proposed federal cuts to the Medicare Advantage program could lead to sharp increases in beneficiaries' premiums, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Congress has approved $13 billion in cuts to the program starting this year. In addition, legislators are considering further cuts to the program as they work to balance spending priorities (Sherman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2/28). A Congressional Budget Office report released this week estimated that Medicare could save about $65 billion over 10 years by equalizing payments to Medicare Advantage plans and fee-for-service providers. BCBS officials said that cuts to the program could lead to negative consequences for seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, including premium increases, significant benefit reductions and perhaps a total loss of their plans.

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