Lance Named Medicare Advantage Champion

WESTFIELD, N.J. – Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) has been named a “Medicare Advantage Congressional Champion” for his advocacy to protect and strengthen the popular Medicare Advantage program.

“I am proud to be a Medicare Advantage Congressional Champion.  Medicare Advantage helps deliver affordable, high-quality health care through innovation, coordinated care and supplemental plan choices.  Nearly 20 million Medicare beneficiaries – including 220,000 in New Jersey – chose Medicare Advantage for their healthcare needs and we in Congress must continue to protect and strengthen the program,” said Lance. 

Allyson Y. Schwartz, the President & CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance and a former Democratic Member of Congress, praised Lance’s leadership.  “I am pleased to congratulate you on the Better Medicare Alliance’s bestowing the recognition of Medicare Advantage Congressional Champion for your work in Congress supporting and strengthening this valued option chosen by more than 20 million Medicare beneficiaries.  On behalf of our ally organizations and the millions of older adults and individuals in Medicare Advantage, we appreciate your advocacy for Medicare Advantage. Ensuring that Medicare Advantage — and the innovative, integrated, value-based care it offers to Medicare beneficiaries — is accessible, affordable, high quality and is well understood by eligible beneficiaries is our shared goal.”

In Congress, Lance has been one of the strongest defenders of the Medicare Advantage program.  As a member of the Health Subcommittee, Lance has direct oversight over the program.  Lance has previously led 300 of his House and Senate colleagues in a bipartisan effort to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to abandon a proposed 5.9 percent rate cut.  After intense pressure from Lance and his colleagues, CMS abandoned the rate cut.  Lance has asked CMS Administrator Seema Verma to support the program and the 19 million people across the country enrolled –especially as 10,000 new senior citizens become Medicare-eligible each day.

“Ninety percent of Medicare Advantage enrollees report high satisfaction with the program. I want to ensure my constituents continue to have access to high-quality Medicare Advantage plans,” concluded Lance.

Better Medicare Alliance is a coalition of providers, plans, senior groups and beneficiaries working to protect and strengthen Medicare Advantage.