Jul 30, 2019 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Ways and Means Committee
Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) issued the following statement regarding a
newly-released Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he requested about the challenges
beneficiaries face when comparing Medicare coverage options on the Medicare
Plan Finder (MPF) website:
“Evaluating the right Medicare choices can be a confusing
process for beneficiaries, and this GAO report shows that the MPF is not
providing adequate assistance. Government selection tools should offer clear
guidance in understandable language to ensure users are able to find the
coverage that works best for them. Choosing the wrong plan can have real,
negative consequences for beneficiaries, like higher out-of-pocket costs or
limited access to providers.
“The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to
launch a redesigned MPF website next month, and I strongly encourage the agency
take the GAO’s findings into consideration as it finalizes the updated
interface.”
Contributing to the
complexity of the selection process, GAO found that the MPF:
• requires
navigation through multiple pages before displaying plan details:
• lacks prominent
instructions to help beneficiaries find information; and
• contains
complex terms that make it difficult for beneficiaries to understand
information.
In conducting its
review of the MPF, GAO reviewed research and CMS documentation on the site and
surveyed 51 directors of State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
offices that have counselors who assist beneficiaries with Medicare decisions.
Forty SHIP directors completed the survey, resulting in a 78 percent response
rate. GAO also interviewed CMS officials and officials with 13 stakeholder
groups, including seven beneficiary advocacy groups.
The full report is
available HERE.
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Subcommittees:
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