The Dow Jones News Service reports in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services is planning on limiting out-of-pocket charges and plans under private Medicare Advantage insurance. The Obama administration has announced plans to enact cost-sharing limits; patients will pay less for certain treatments, including:
- home nursing services/home health care
- renal dialysis
- selected prescription drugs
In addition, the number of Medicare Advantage plans on the market will be limited in order to reduce consumer confusion. CMS claims that a quarter of all Medicare Advantage programs have fewer than 10 people enrolled!
Insurers, such as UnitedHealth Secure Horizons, state that they have expected reductions in health insurance rates under Medicare Advantage and will adapt through benefit modifications and cost management.
