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We are extremely happy to have you with us today, Ms. Block, and also we would be pleased to obtain your testimony. STATEMENT OF ABBY L. BLOCK, SUPERVISOR, CENTER FOR RECIPIENT OPTIONS, CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND ALSO MEDICAID SOLUTIONS (CMS), BALTIMORE, MD Ms. Block. Thanks for welcoming me to discuss Medicare Benefit and also, specifically, advertising conformity.

Working carefully with Congress, we have actually fine-tuned Medicare Benefit for many years to promote solid plan involvement across the country. With a vivid market of strategies for 2007, beneficiary enrollment is now at an all-time high. I am proud of these successes as well as stand committed to collaborate with you in the days in advance to protect choice for individuals with Medicare.

Such added benefits vary by strategy, yet can consist of: lower cost-sharing, boosted Component D prescription medicine protection, Component B and also D premium reductions; as well as, access to things as well as solutions like listening device, routine physicals or vision tests that initial Medicare does not cover. No matter of the programs' successes, CMS takes current records of aggressive advertising of some products very seriously.

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I intend to speak today about a few of the ways that CMS is building upon lessons learned and also info gathered during 2006. CMS enforcement for marketing violations ranges from releasing a warning letter or corrective activity plan to putting on hold registration and also, inevitably, terminating a plan from the program - Medicare agent Huntington NY. This year alone, we have actually fined strategies greater than $400,000 in civil financial fines for stopping working to offer info to beneficiaries in a timely fashion.

Our experience reveals that, now and then, personal fee-for- service strategies have not been clear regarding what they use our beneficiaries as well as what they do not provide. For 2008, we will need plans to include specific, unambiguous language in all advertising and marketing materials, registration materials and sales discussions laying out what a beneficiary can expect if he or she signs up for a plan, as well as call all new applicants to verify that they do, in reality, understand the features of the strategy and dream to sign up.

Our utmost concern is to aid as well as safeguard the beneficiary. For that reason, recipients and also enrollees misinform by a plan are given a possibility to change to an additional strategy. On top of that, during the initial quarter of yearly, all enrollees currently have the chance to change out of private fee-for-service plans or any other MA prepare for any type of factor and pick another option.

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CMS manages violations of our marketing standards. CMS is taking lots of steps to determine companies in demand of conformity intervention, including monitoring issues by performing secret purchasings of sales occasions across the nation.

Especially, CMS works en masse with the National Organization of Insurance Policy Commissioners and also State departments of insurance to develop a version compliance and enforcement Memorandum of Understanding. Up until now, 20 States as well as Puerto Rico have actually authorized the MOU that will enable us to share info regarding non-compliant advertising and marketing activities. CMS intends to release quickly a recommended rule that will certainly promote oversight for Medicare Advantage strategies and Part D prescription medication plans.

These are just the first steps we are requiring to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries click to read are not being misinformed, misguided or ripped off. We are holding strategies in charge of the activities of both utilized as well as independent representatives offering their products. This consists of calling for recorded training of marketing agents and brokers. I desire to ensure you that the huge bulk of elders that purchased Medicare Benefit products are satisfied with their plans as well as the services they are receiving.

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Thank you once again for the opportunity to speak to you today. I look onward to addressing your concerns. The Chairman. Thanks, Ms. Block. Before we get to inquiries for you, we want to learn through our Position Member, Senator Smith, as well as Legislator Whitehouse. Legislator Smith. Thanks, Legislator Kohl, for calling this essential hearing on a really essential problem.

We thank you for your extravagance and your time (Medicare agent Huntington NY). I desire to make a difference, which I really hope individuals who are interested will certainly understand.

These points must be transmitted out. All stakeholders who want to see this program continue demand to recognize that, if left unchecked, this will threaten self-confidence in the program. Having stated that, I intend to explain my idea that Medicare Advantage and also Medicare Part D are tolerable merely due to the fact that they are private delivery systems.

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They can function check out this site much better. However to all who have a rate of interest in the ongoing success of these programs, it involves each people separately to do all that we can to take care of the troubles as well as to repair them fast. What I did when I was Chairman and also now, as Position Participant-- and also I share the Chairman's problem-- what I started to do in the 109th Congress is to check it out supply oversight.

It requires to alter. So we will proceed that oversight with the view, a minimum of, from my view, to preserving as well as reinforcing these programs that do so much great, aid numerous individuals, specifically, in rural locations. So any kind of business with a rate of interest in either prescription medicines or Medicare Benefit: Obtain on top of this and also jump on top of it quick.

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