Committee hears calls to "level the playing field" between original Medicare and Medicare Advantage

Senate Joint Memorial 8002, which asks the federal government to reduce differences between original Medicare and private Medicare Advantage plans, drew a staff briefing and about a dozen public testimonies at the House Health Care and Wellness Committee on March 21.

The memorial asks Congress to eliminate the 20% coinsurance in original Medicare, establish an out-of-pocket maximum for original Medicare, add dental, vision and hearing benefits to original Medicare, and to recoup overpayments, fraud and abuse from Medicare Advantage plans and use those funds to support original Medicare.

The committee received a staff overview from Jim Morishima, staff to the committee. Morishima summarized differences between the two programs, saying original Medicare is administered by the federal government and often leaves beneficiaries with a 20% coinsurance for many services, while Medicare Advantage plans are administered by private…