Government
Medicare lawsuits filed
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 26, 2005
Advocates for seniors and people with disabilities who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid recently filed lawsuits against the federal government, arguing that a plan to transition the beneficiaries to Medicare will unduly deprive them of access to their physicians.
Separate advocacy groups in New York and Pennsylvania sued the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to block automatic enrollment of such "dual-eligibles" into Medicare managed care plans. The transition, which will occur when the Medicare drug benefit launches Jan. 1, 2006, is designed to move low-income seniors and people with disabilities off states' Medicaid rolls.
The lawsuits contend that requiring beneficiaries to opt out of the automatic transition -- which gives them the ability to pick their own plans -- puts those who don't do so at risk for losing access to their regular doctors, pharmacies and hospitals starting next year. Medicare managed care plans typically maintain an approved network of medical professionals.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/12/26/gvbf1226.htm.
