Senate and House Leaders Urge President Obama to Keep The Promise to Seniors and Reverse Course on Harmful Medicare Advantage Cuts

Letter: “We are troubled by the policies in this regulation, which we believe will lead to millions of seniors facing fewer choices, higher costs, and plan cancellations.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Senate and House Republican leaders today sent a letter to President Obama regarding the administration’s proposed cuts to the Medicare Advantage program. The administration has repeatedly threatened the popular Medicare Advantage program, leading to higher costs and fewer choices for seniors. The president’s health care law raids more than $700 billion from Medicare, including more than $300 billion from Medicare Advantage with more of these cuts to be phased in this year. Additionally, recently proposed regulations would further strain the program.

The leaders write, “We are troubled by the policies in this regulation, which we believe will lead to millions of seniors facing fewer choices, higher costs, and plan cancellations. …We are concerned that the policies in PPACA and this most recent rule will further reduce seniors’ choices while increasing their costs. This concern is well-founded, as your actuaries at CMS have warned that cuts could cause up to 7 million of the nearly 16 million seniors in MA to lose their plans by 2017.”

“We remain ready to work with you to stop the harmful effects caused by another round of cuts to seniors’ health care benefits. We urge you not to finalize the policies in the proposed rule but rather work with Congress to strengthen and stabilize the Medicare Advantage program.”

The letter was signed by Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX), and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT).

Read the complete letter online HERE.

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