Commission Recommendations
MedPAC makes recommendations to the Congress and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on issues affecting the administration of the Medicare program. With its recommendations, the Commission strives to improve the delivery of care, while ensuring financial stability and maximizing value for the program. After extensive analysis and evaluation, our recommendations are discussed and voted on by Commissioners in our public meetings. Recommendations are typically published in two main reports, released in March and June of each year.
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Managed care for frail Medicare beneficiaries: payment methods and program standards (D)In the long term, the Secretary should set capitation payments for frail beneficiaries based on their characteristics, not of the type of plan to which they belong. |
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Managed care for frail Medicare beneficiaries: payment methods and program standards (E)Performance measures for programs for frail Medicare beneficiaries should reflect the beneficiaries’ health care needs and special practices for their care. |
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Managed care for frail Medicare beneficiaries: payment methods and program standards (F)The Secretary should include special measures for evaluating and monitoring care for frail Medicare beneficiaries in the Medicare+Choice plan quality measurement and reporting requirements. |
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Managed care for frail Medicare beneficiaries: payment methods and program standards (G)The Secretary should not now limit enrollment into the Program of All-Inclusive care for the Elderly to a particular time of the year. |
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Managed care for frail Medicare beneficiaries: payment methods and program standards (H)The Commission will await results from the Secretary’s demonstration of for-profit entities in the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly before making a recommendation on allowing them to participate. |
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Structuring informed beneficiary choice (A)The Congress should allow HCFA more administrative flexibility in meeting its obligations to inform beneficiaries by relaxing legislative requirements pertaining to content of consumer information materials and means of dissemination. |
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Structuring informed beneficiary choice (B)The Congress should fund HCFA’s education initiatives adequately and directly through the appropriations process rather than through assessing user fees on Medicare+Choice organizations. |
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Structuring informed beneficiary choice (C)The Secretary should develop and evaluate interactive tools that give beneficiaries a framework for understanding their choices and that help them to process information. |
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Structuring informed beneficiary choice (D)The Secretary should define and regularly update appropriate standard terms for describing Medicare coverage options. HCFA should use these terms in its informational materials, require their use by Medicare+Choice organizations, and encourage their use by medigap policy carriers and others who provide beneficiary information. |
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Structuring informed beneficiary choice (E)The Secretary should study the enrollment patterns of beneficiaries, giving particular attention to vulnerable groups, to assess whether their informational needs are adequately met. |
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