The AAMC submitted a statement for the record (PDF) to the House Ways and Means Health and Oversight Subcommittees regarding their July 22 hearing entitled “Medicare Advantage: Past Lessons, Present Insights, Future Opportunities.” In its statement, the AAMC emphasized the urgent need for greater transparency, improved oversight, and reforms to the Medicare Advantage (MA) program to ensure beneficiaries have equitable access to timely, high-quality care.
During the hearing, lawmakers from both parties expressed frustration over persistent barriers to care in the MA program, including delays caused by prior authorization, opaque supplemental benefits, and inadequate provider directories. Members also questioned witnesses on growing concerns about “upcoding” and overpayments, asking what policy levers Congress could pull to ensure MA plans deliver both value and accountability. Several members voiced support for the AAMC-supported Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 (H.R. 3514/S. 1816), and several lawmakers signaled an interest in continued oversight and bipartisan legislative action.
The AAMC’s statement highlighted the rising burdens of prior authorization, pointing to delays and denials that often affect medically necessary services. The association urged Congress to act on bipartisan legislation, track plan-level denial data, and enhance oversight of supplemental benefits and access to specialized care. These themes mirrored bipartisan calls during the hearing for a more accountable, efficient MA system that maintains value while addressing growing concerns about access, cost, and administrative complexity.