Trump Administration Eliminates Biden-Era Health Equity Requirements for Medicare Plans

Key Points

• Biden-era health equity requirements for Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans eliminated
• Replaced with transparency measures aimed at identifying Medicare misuse
• CMS can now cut off funding for suspected hospice providers and refer to law enforcement
• Administrator Oz says new measures will help prevent misuse of Medicare dollars

Full Details

The Trump administration has eliminated health equity requirements that were implemented during the Biden administration for Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans. The previous rules had required these plans to incorporate health equity considerations into their operations and coverage decisions. The administration has replaced these requirements with new transparency measures that CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz says will make it easier to identify hospice providers that misuse Medicare dollars. Under the new approach, CMS will be able to cut off funding for providers suspected of misuse and refer them to law enforcement for criminal prosecution. The administration frames this as a shift toward accountability and fiscal responsibility in the Medicare program, while critics may see it as rolling back efforts to address healthcare disparities.