Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, the Medicare Advantage Quality Payment Relief Act will protect and enhance Medicare benefits by reversing a damaging policy created by the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

Obamacare attempted to provide better benefits for seniors and people with disabilities who are enrolled in the highest rated Medicare Advantage plans. But Obamacare also inadvertently limited these bonus payments from ever reaching beneficiaries by putting a cap on the payments, or benchmarks, that these Medicare plans receive. Now, 17,000 Montanans, and millions of Americans across the country--are being denied the full scope of the Medicare benefits that they should be receiving.

I'm glad to join with Senator Angus King of Maine to introduce legislation that reverses this ill-advised policy. Our bill protects Medicare benefits by removing the damaging limitation on payments to Medicare Advantage plans with a 4-star rating or higher. This legislation is crucial to ensuring that these top-rated Medicare Advantage plans are offered throughout Montana and our country. Nearly 20% of Medicare beneficiaries in Montana, and one-third of Medicare enrollees nationwide, receive their Medicare coverage through Medicare Advantage plans.

I'm pleased that our legislation enjoys strong support from diverse stakeholders, and I will continue to champion this issue on behalf of seniors and people with disabilities in Montana who rely on Medicare Advantage for their Medicare coverage.

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