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We are very delighted to have you with us today, Ms. Block, as well as we would be pleased to get your statement. STATEMENT OF ABBY L. BLOCK, DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR BENEFICIARY CHOICES, CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS), BALTIMORE, MD Ms. Block. Thanks for welcoming me to talk about Medicare Advantage and, specifically, advertising compliance.

Working closely with Congress, we have improved Medicare Benefit for many years to advertise strong plan engagement across the country. With a vibrant marketplace of plans for 2007, recipient registration is currently at an all-time high. I take pride in these successes and stand committed to collaborate with you in the days in advance to preserve option for people with Medicare.

Such fringe benefits vary by plan, yet can consist of: lower cost-sharing, enhanced Component D prescription medicine insurance coverage, Component B as well as D premium decreases; as well as, access to items and also services like listening device, regular physicals or vision examinations that original Medicare does not cover. Despite the programs' successes, CMS takes recent records of aggressive advertising of some items very seriously.

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I desire to chat today regarding some of the manner ins which CMS is constructing upon lessons learned and also information collected throughout 2006. CMS enforcement for advertising violations ranges from providing a caution letter or corrective activity strategy to suspending registration and even, inevitably, ending a strategy from the program - Medicare agent Huntington NY. This year alone, we have fined plans greater than $400,000 in civil monetary charges for falling short to provide info to recipients in a prompt fashion.

Our experience shows that, now and then, exclusive fee-for- solution plans have not been clear concerning what they offer our beneficiaries as well as what they do not supply. For 2008, we will certainly call for strategies to consist of details, unambiguous language in all marketing materials, enrollment materials and sales discussions laying out what a beneficiary can anticipate if he or she signs up for a plan, and call all new candidates to validate that they do, in reality, recognize the attributes of the strategy as well as wish to enroll.

Our utmost concern is to aid and also protect the recipient. For that reason, beneficiaries and also enrollees mislead by a plan are given a possibility to change to one more plan. On top of that, throughout the initial quarter of each year, additional hints all enrollees currently have the possibility to change out of private fee-for-service strategies or any type of various other MA strategy for check this any factor as well as choose another alternative.

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CMS handles violations of our advertising standards. CMS is taking lots of actions to recognize organizations in need of compliance treatment, consisting of monitoring problems by performing secret buyings of sales occasions throughout the country.

Particularly, CMS works cooperatively with the National Organization of Insurance Coverage Commissioners as well as State departments of insurance coverage to create a version conformity as well as enforcement Memorandum of Comprehending. Much, 20 States and also Puerto Rico have signed the MOU that will enable us to share information regarding non-compliant advertising tasks. CMS intends to provide quickly a recommended regulation that will certainly assist in oversight for Medicare Advantage strategies as well as Part D prescription drug strategies.

These are just the first actions we are taking to make certain that Medicare beneficiaries are not being misinformed, misinformed or defrauded. We are holding plans in charge of the activities of both utilized and also independent agents offering their products. This consists of calling for recorded training of marketing agents as well as brokers. I want to guarantee you that the substantial majority of seniors who got Medicare Benefit items are pleased with their strategies and the services they are getting.

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Thank you, Ms. Block. Before we get to inquiries for you, we would such as to hear from our Position Participant, Senator Smith, as well as Senator Whitehouse. Thank you, Senator Kohl, for calling this vital hearing on a really crucial problem.

You have actually heard me complain in the past that the leadership of you can look here the Us senate need to get in touch with the Aging Committee before they arrange ballots. We ask forgiveness to the witnesses. We thanks for your indulgence and also your time. We respect it deeply, especially this particular problem. I desire to make a difference, which I really hope individuals that are interested will recognize.

These things should be directed out. All stakeholders who would such as to see this program proceed requirement to comprehend that, if left uncontrolled, this will certainly threaten self-confidence in the program. Having claimed that, I wish to explain my belief that Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D are okay merely because they are private delivery systems.

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They can work much better. To all who have an interest in the ongoing success of these programs, it comes to each of us individually to do all that we can to deal with the issues and to fix them quickly. What I did when I was Chairman and also currently, as Ranking Participant-- and I share the Chairman's worry-- what I began to do in the 109th Congress is to supply oversight.

It needs to alter. We will proceed that oversight with the sight, at least, from my view, to maintaining and reinforcing these programs that do so a lot good, assist so many people, specifically, in rural locations. Any type of firm with a passion in either prescription drugs or Medicare Advantage: Obtain on top of this and get on top of it quick.

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