WASHINGTON – Today, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy David Merritt issued the following statement on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment Validation rule.

“Medicare Advantage’s risk adjustment program is a critical component for Medicare beneficiaries to access the high-quality, affordable care they deserve. While we all can agree that improvements can be made, the failure to adjust for the legitimate differences between Medicare Advantage and original Medicare will have a detrimental effect on the seniors and people with disabilities who rely on the Medicare Advantage program. CMS should have implemented a narrower solution aimed at a few bad actors, but instead this overreaching regulation will raise costs, reduce choice and make it more difficult for seniors and those with disabilities to effectively manage their health. We will continue to work with CMS on effective policies that help beneficiaries and strengthen the program.”