Wyden Statement on Proposed Rule to Improve Medicare Advantage and Part D
Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued a statement after the Biden-Harris administration announced a proposed rule for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D:
“Today’s announcement marks an important step to update and strengthen the Medicare guarantee for Americans,” Wyden said. “In Medicare Advantage, there are a number of promising actions to limit the overuse of prior authorization, crack down on the prevalence of ‘ghost networks’ that leave seniors unable to find a doctor, and prevent unscrupulous brokers from taking advantage of seniors by enrolling them in a plan that may not work for them. The proposed rule also takes strides to lower the cost of behavioral health care and rein in aggressive marketing tactics.
“In Medicare Part D, there is important progress to help small pharmacies fight back against pharmaceutical middlemen to stem the tide of closures affecting local community pharmacies across the nation. I’m also pleased to see broader coverage for anti-obesity medication, which has proven to be a valuable treatment for millions of Americans. I’ll be watchdogging the incoming Trump administration to ensure there is no backsliding on these critical consumer protections and coverage improvements.”
Last month, Wyden sent a letter to the Biden-Harris administration to highlight a number of areas where Medicare Advantage plans need to improve in order to live up to the promise of the Medicare guarantee.
More information on the proposed rule can be found here.
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