Healthcare Equity

The Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) aims to gather meaningful self-reported data from Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries to measure health plan quality performance. As Congress and CMS seek to advance health equity and to better understand and quantify the quality of care received by Medicare beneficiaries, this report outlines recommendations to address the shortcomings of the HOS and modernize it to better reflect and understand the changing Medicare population.

Ensuring the healthcare system is prepared to meet the behavioral health needs of Medicare beneficiaries is critical as research suggests psychological distress increased among older adults and low-income groups during the early days of the pandemic.

As CMS sunsets the MMP model, it will be important to preserve lessons that benefited stakeholders. CMS has authority to maintain MMP model attributes, and should preserve those that are in statute through a refined, innovative financial model.

Future Medicare Advantage policy must consider more deliberate opportunities to support person-centeredness, to recognize the outsized role that family caregivers play, and to integrate with Medicaid to promote equitable access and health outcomes.

Future Medicare Advantage policy must consider more deliberate opportunities to support person-centeredness, to recognize the outsized role that family caregivers play, and to integrate with Medicaid to promote equitable access and health outcomes.

Allison Rizer and Laura Benzing share their perspective on Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits in Health Affairs.