​AARP Interview: New Medicare Chief Outlines Her Vision

Do you think that Medicare Advantage plans have lived up to their promise?

I think we have seen examples of MA plans doing innovative things in some areas, such as being able to coordinate care effectively and offering new benefits. It is the responsibility of CMS to continue to make sure that plans are living up to their role.

Will Medicare provide COVID-19 boosters free of charge?

Yes. Medicare has not set any limitations on COVID-19 vaccinations, so there’s nothing to prevent Medicare from paying for a third dose or boosters.

Do you believe that the expansions of telehealth made during the pandemic should become permanent?

My brother is a psychologist and has lots of Medicare patients. He was telling me that many were reluctant to get on the phone at first. But over time, people became much more comfortable with phone or video calls, and it really helped him to be able to see patients who weren’t ready to leave their homes. That’s a long way of saying I think that there is a strong interest in supporting and continuing to build on our telehealth offerings.

Should Medicare be at the forefront of the shift to more home- and community-based medical services?

Making sure that people are getting care in the most appropriate setting is a priority of the Biden administration; so is making sure that people’s health-related social needs are met. Some of this is going to require legislation. And, of course, in terms of what Medicare is permitted to cover, it’s something we’re looking forward to working on with Congress.

What can CMS do to rein in fraudulent billing?

We’ve seen more scams during the pandemic and are committed to doing two things: first, educating providers to make sure they submit accurate information; second, being more proactive in identifying challenges.

Do you believe the eligibility age for Medicare should be raised or lowered?

The next focus of the broader health care policy agenda is making sure that people who don’t have coverage right now get it. The president has suggested lowering the Medicare age, and I think there are many good ideas to make sure people receive coverage in a sustainable way. In my own mind, the key is making the first priority being to cover those who have no options today. Of course, as CMS administrator, it’s my role to implement whatever Congress passes, and we’ll certainly do that.

What should the government do to lower prescription drug prices?

I get asked about it all the time. It's clearly on the minds of people. And the president has talked about letting Medicare negotiate drug prices. It's overwhelmingly popular and bipartisan, and what we're supportive of is Congress passing legislation so that CMS would be given authority to negotiate drug prices on behalf of Medicare patients.

Why do you think enrollment in ACA marketplaces has surged in recent months? And should the increases in the amount and availability of premium tax credits be made permanent?

I think we've seen two things. One, how much of a difference educating people about their options makes. We had a huge campaign at the start of the administration, encouraging people to enroll. And secondly, when you make coverage affordable to people, they enroll.

We want to be prepared for the next public health emergency. So, it's critical for us to make sure that people are enrolled in whatever coverage they qualify for, whether marketplace, Medicaid, Medicare or employer-sponsored insurance. It's so important that people have access to health care coverage.

Dena Bunis covers Medicare, health care, health policy and Congress. She also writes the “Medicare Made Easy” column for the AARP Bulletin. An award-winning journalist, Bunis spent decades working for metropolitan daily newspapers, including as Washington bureau chief for the Orange County Register and as a health policy and workplace writer for Newsday.