Chamber Praises Release of Medicare Rules

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce praised the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for issuing the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) regulations that will modernize Medicare and provide a prescription drug benefit to seniors.

"Modernizing Medicare is critical to providing the baby boomer generation's 77 million members with health care," said Bruce Josten, U.S. Chamber executive vice president. "This rule gives businesses the flexibility to integrate the new prescription drug benefit into their existing retiree health plans, while allowing opportunities to partner with Medicare to provide seniors more comprehensive coverage."

The guidance by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services includes significant reforms to the Medicare structure such as establishing a much needed prescription drug benefit and offering preventive health care services and disease management-type programs. It also grants employers greater flexibility and the options necessary to continue to provide retiree health coverage on a voluntary basis.

"This regulation will help employers continue to provide voluntary health coverage to their retirees," said Josten. "It will also allow seniors to choose their level of coverage and access to prescription drugs, while controlling the program's growing costs and ensuring Medicare is available for future generations."

The Chamber led a coalition of companies and associations representing employer interests in support of efforts to enact comprehensive Medicare reform.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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