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Trump Pans 'Medicare-for-All,' Touts Medicare Advantage Ahead of 2020 Election

News  |  By HealthLeaders Media Staff  
   October 04, 2019

The order aligns with the president's promise to 'protect what works' and 'fix what's broken,' says the HHS secretary.

President Donald Trump delivered a speech and signed an executive order Thursday to build more choice and competition into the Medicare program, with principles that his administration has already advanced through Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.

The order criticizes so-called "Medicare-for-All" proposals and directs Health and Human Services to propose a regulation regarding MA plans instead within one year, which places a deadline about a month before the 2020 general election.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement that the order aligns with the president's promise to "protect what works" and "fix what's broken."

"America's seniors are overwhelmingly satisfied with the care they receive through traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and the President is continuing to take action to strengthen and improve these programs," Azar said. "The President has directed HHS to take a number of specific, significant steps that will meaningfully improve the financing of Medicare, advance the care American seniors receive from their doctors, and improve the health they enjoy."

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"The steps include expanding options and providing savings for seniors on Medicare Advantage; eliminating unnecessary burdens on providers; focusing Medicare payments on time spent with patients rather than on procedures performed; accelerating access to the latest medical technologies; cutting waste, fraud, and abuse; and expanding freedom and control for seniors on Medicare," he said. "All of these steps together will help create a healthcare system that puts patients at the center."

"These kinds of improvements, rather than a total government takeover of the healthcare system, are the path to our ultimate goal: better health for all Americans," he added. That's the President's promise, and that's what he has been delivering for American patients."

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma said in a statement that she is proud of the Trump administration's agenda and her agency is ready to act.

"We look forward to swiftly implementing these bold and comprehensive policies, which build on the steps we have already taken, to increase choices, encourage medical innovation, empower patients, and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse to protect seniors and taxpayers," Verma said.

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