Https://www.ahip.org /documents/AHIP-MA-R FI-Comments-8.31.202 2.pdf

Dr. Meena Seshamani, Director of the Center for Medicare, received a letter from AHIP regarding the Request for Information on Medicare (CMS-4203-NC). AHIP welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Medicare Advantage (MA) program, which they believe delivers tremendous value for America's seniors and people with disabilities. The MA program has grown significantly, with almost 30 million people enrolled, and offers better services, access to care, and value compared to the original Medicare program.

AHIP's responses to the questions in the RFI are organized around five key goals for Medicare: advancing health equity, expanding access to coverage and care, driving innovation to promote person-centered care, supporting affordability and sustainability, and engaging partners. They recommend that CMS support MA plans' efforts to improve health equity and address social risk factors, expand access to MA coverage, and implement policies to limit low-value care.

Key observations and recommendations include:
- MA plans improve health equity and address social risk factors, and CMS should support these efforts through additional benefit flexibility and improved data collection.
- CMS should expand access to MA coverage and implement policies to limit low-value care.
- MA is more cost-effective and provides higher quality care than original Medicare, and CMS should consider targeted improvements to the payment and quality components of the MA program.
- CMS should focus on supporting the MA system and promoting further improvements in cost and quality to ensure the longer-term sustainability and affordability of the Medicare program.