Blog explains why analysis of MA’s impact on hospital finances should be interpreted cautiously

A blog by Noah Isserman, AHA director of health insurance and coverage policy, explains why a recent analysis by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission misses the mark in its effort to understand the effect of Medicare Advantage on hospitals’ financial health. The blog describes how MA plans impose significant administrative, payment and operational burdens on hospitals and health systems that are not fully captured in MedPAC’s analysis. “In other words, it does not determine whether MA enrollment growth is driving changes in hospital finances,” Isserman writes. “Therefore, while the report is asking the right questions, its conclusions fall short.” READ MORE