The insurance company Humana is under fire from Medicare itself, for spreading misinformation about health insurance reform and its possible effects on Medicare coverage. Humana was sending letters to Humana Medicare members which were essentially lobbying their position, something not allowed.Medicare providers are only allowed to communicate with plan members about the benefits they have now, not about possible changes to benefits. Nor are providers allowed to use such communications to lobby for legislation.
Here's what the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) wrote to Humana:
CMS has learned that Humana has been contacting enrollees in one or more of its plans and alleging that current health care reform legislation affecting Medicare could hurt "millions of seniors and disabled individuals [who] could lose many of the important benefits and services that make Medicare advantage health plans so valuable." The message makes several other claims about the legislation and how it will be detrimental to enrollees, ultimately urging enrollees to contact their congressional representatives to protest the actions referenced in the letter.It's been interesting to watch the health insurance debate, and see seniors telling Congress that they want government to keep its hands off their Medicare, which is a government program. What they're really saying is "don't reduce my benefits," which is what this scare campaign is all about.
CMS is concerned that, among other things, this information is misleading and confusing to beneficiaries, represents information to beneficiaries as official communications about the Medicare Advantage program, and is potentially contrary to federal regulations and guidance for the MA and Part D programs and other federal law, including HIPAA. As we continue our research into this issue, we are instructing you to end immediately all such mailings to beneficiaries and to remove any related materials directed to Medicare enrollees from your website.
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