This bill renames so-called “Medicare Advantage” plans, prohibits private insurers from using “Medicare” in plan titles or advertisements, and imposes significant fines for any insurer that engages in this deceptive practice.
Rename so-called Medicare Advantage plans and prohibit private insurers from using “Medicare” in plan titles or advertisements.
Occurrences
reintroduced the Save Medicare Act. This bill renames so-called “Medicare Advantage” plans, prohibits private insurers from using “Medicare” in plan titles or advertisements, and imposes significant fines for any insurer that engages in this deceptive practice.
Evidence
The article says Pocan would reintroduce the Save Medicare Act with Ro Khanna and Jan Schakowsky as a co-sponsor. It says the bill would prohibit insurers from using the word Medicare in plan titles and would fine companies for deceptive marketing.
The report says CMS rules taking effect October 15, 2023 barred insurers from misleadingly using the Medicare name or logo in Medicare Advantage advertising and from advertising benefits unavailable in a given area.
Assessments
The promise had two main parts: renaming Medicare Advantage plans and barring private insurers from using "Medicare" in plan titles or advertisements. Evidence shows Schakowsky co-sponsored a bill to do both, which is a serious attempt, but it was not enacted. Separately, CMS rules effective October 15, 2023 did restrict misleading use of the Medicare name or logo in Medicare Advantage advertising, partially achieving the advertising side of the promise during her term. But the plans were not renamed and insurers were not broadly prohibited from using "Medicare" in plan titles. That supports partial rather than full delivery.