As enrollment in Medicare Advantage (MA) continues to a major part of overall Medicare enrollment, federal policy decisions play an increasingly important role in shaping how older adults access care, understand their coverage, and maintain trusted provider relationships. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed 2027 MA rule includes changes that could affect beneficiary access to information, use of supplemental benefits, and enrollment protections—particularly for people with lower incomes, dually eligible beneficiaries, and those with complex care needs.
The SCAN Foundation (TSF) submitted this comment letter to inform CMS’s rulemaking with direct input from Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees. The letter draws on findings from The People Say, a national an online, publicly available, research hub that captures the lived experiences of older adults and caregivers; insights from Georgetown University’s Medicare Policy Initiative’s Medicare Advantage Advisory Group; and TSF-supported policy analysis on supplemental benefits. Together, these perspectives illustrate how beneficiaries navigate Medicare Advantage in practice and where proposed policy changes may either support or undermine informed decision-making and continuity of care.
Key themes addressed in the letter include:
- How changes to supplemental benefit notifications may affect beneficiaries’ ability to use and have knowledge of the benefits they are eligible for
- The importance of clear enrollment protections when provider networks change mid-year
- Implications of proposed marketing, language access, and enrollment support changes for beneficiary understanding and choice
The letter is intended to inform CMS’s final policy decisions and support continued engagement with beneficiary-informed research as MA policies evolve.
Read the letter here.