PITTSBURGH, Aug. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Patrick Phillips, CEO of Cavulus, a leading technology provider in the Medicare Advantage (MA) industry, says the private insurance program is increasingly being utilized by underserved and low-income segments of US population prompting Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to solicit input to further eliminate barriers and provide more equitable access.
Phillips said CMS released a Request for Information earlier this month “seeking feedback on ways to strengthen MA coverage for underserved and disadvantaged individuals in order to make the program even more equitable and accessible.
“Few realize that MA coverage plays a pivotal role relating to socioeconomics,” said Phillips, pointing out, this is due to $0 premium plans and specialized products based on low income. According to a recent report from Better Medicare Alliance, over two thousand $0 premium plans were offered in 2022 and 98% of beneficiaries had access to them.
“The average cost of a Medicare Supplement is $150 monthly. Beneficiaries are responsible for 20% coinsurance for most services covered under Original Medicare. These options aren’t affordable for much of the aged population” says Phillips.
He notes demand for economical coverage has also given rise to a unique MA product called Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNP). “There are various types of Special Needs Plans but the most prevalent is D-SNP which requires eligibility for both Medicare and Medicaid” Phillips explains.
“Most insurers we serve have D-SNPs in their product offerings” says the Cavulus CEO. “We also serve several organizations that exclusively offer these plans which speaks to the demand.”
“CMS recognizes such coverage is vital for low-income beneficiaries. They’re asking probing questions in their RFI such as ‘how can CMS support strengthened efforts by SNPs to provide targeted, coordinated care for enrollees?'” said Phillips.
“CMS’s ability to seek feedback and issue new guidance is why MA continuously improves” asserts Phillips. “These are incredibly important programs for our most vulnerable populations, especially in a year where inflation is a factor.”
ABOUT CAVULUS – Cavulus is a technology driven specialist in Medicare Advantage insurance solutions. The Cavulus Cloud-based Medicare Advantage Platform (Cavulus MAP™) unifies marketing, sales and enrollment operations and is utilized by many top insurers, including several BlueCross/ BlueShield companies, UPMC Health Plan, Johns Hopkins, Lumeris and United Healthcare. For details visit: www.cavulus.com.
Media Inquiries: 800-760-6915 – info@cavulus.com
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SOURCE Cavulus
