The Secretary shall establish requirements for information submission under this subsection in a manner that promotes the offering of MA regional plans in more than one region (including all regions) through the filing of consolidated information.
For benefits described in section 1395w–22(a)(1)(A) of this title, the amount of the Medicare+Choice monthly MSA premium.
For benefits described in section 1395w–22(a)(3) of this title, the amount of the Medicare+Choice monthly supplementary beneficiary premium.
For benefits described in section 1395w–22(a)(3) of this title, the amount of the Medicare+Choice monthly supplemental beneficiary premium (as defined in subsection (b)(2)(B)).
Subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall review the adjusted community rates, the amounts of the basic and supplemental premiums, and values filed under paragraphs (2) and (4) of this subsection and shall approve or disapprove such rates, amounts, and values so submitted. The Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shall review the actuarial assumptions and data used by the Medicare+Choice organization with respect to such rates, amounts, and values so submitted to determine the appropriateness of such assumptions and data.
The Secretary shall not review, approve, or disapprove the amounts submitted under paragraph (3) or, in the case of an MA private fee-for-service plan, subparagraphs (A)(ii) and (B) of paragraph (4).
Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring the Secretary to accept any or every bid submitted by an MA organization under this subsection.
The Secretary may deny a bid submitted by an MA organization for an MA plan if it proposes significant increases in cost sharing or decreases in benefits offered under the plan.
Subject to clauses (iii) and (iv), the Secretary has the authority to negotiate regarding monthly bid amounts submitted under subparagraph (A) (and the proportions described in subparagraph (A)(ii)), including supplemental benefits provided under subsection (b)(1)(C)(ii)(I) and in exercising such authority the Secretary shall have authority similar to the authority of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management with respect to health benefits plans under chapter 89 of title 5.
Subject to clause (iv), the Secretary may only accept such a bid amount or proportion if the Secretary determines that such amount and proportions are supported by the actuarial bases provided under subparagraph (A) and reasonably and equitably reflects the revenue requirements (as used for purposes of section 300e–1(8) of this title) of benefits provided under that plan.
In order to promote competition under this part and part D and in carrying out such parts, the Secretary may not require any MA organization to contract with a particular hospital, physician, or other entity or individual to furnish items and services under this subchapter or require a particular price structure for payment under such a contract to the extent consistent with the Secretary’s authority under this part.
In the case of a plan described in section 1395w–21(a)(2)(C) of this title, the provisions of clauses (i) and (ii) shall not apply and the provisions of paragraph (5)(B), prohibiting the review, approval, or disapproval of amounts described in such paragraph, shall apply to the negotiation and rejection of the monthly bid amounts and the proportions referred to in subparagraph (A).
Subject to the rebate under subparagraph (C), the monthly amount (if any) of the premium charged to an individual enrolled in a Medicare+Choice plan (other than an MSA plan) offered by a Medicare+Choice organization shall be equal to the sum of the Medicare+Choice monthly basic beneficiary premium, the Medicare+Choice monthly supplementary beneficiary premium (if any), and, if the plan provides qualified prescription drug coverage, the MA monthly prescription drug beneficiary premium.
The monthly amount of the premium charged to an individual enrolled in an MSA plan offered by a Medicare+Choice organization shall be equal to the Medicare+Choice monthly supplemental beneficiary premium (if any).
The MA plan shall provide to the enrollee a monthly rebate equal to 75 percent (or the applicable rebate percentage specified in clause (iii) in the case of plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2012) of the average per capita savings (if any) described in paragraph (3)(C) or (4)(C), as applicable to the plan and year involved.
The provision of supplemental health care benefits described in section 1395w–22(a)(3) of this title in a manner specified under the plan, which may include the reduction of cost-sharing otherwise applicable as well as additional health care benefits which are not benefits under the original medicare fee-for-service program option, or crediting toward an MA monthly supplemental beneficiary premium (if any).
Crediting toward the MA monthly prescription drug beneficiary premium.
Crediting toward the premium imposed under part B (determined without regard to the application of subsections (b), (h), and (i) of section 1395r of this title).
The plan shall disclose to the Secretary information on the form and amount of the rebate provided under this subparagraph or the actuarial value in the case of supplemental health care benefits.
Insofar as an MA organization elects to provide a rebate under this subparagraph under a plan as a credit toward the part B premium under clause (ii)(III), the Secretary shall apply such credit to reduce the premium under section 1395r of this title of each enrollee in such plan as provided in section 1395s(i) of this title.
The term “MA monthly prescription drug beneficiary premium” means, with respect to an MA plan, the base beneficiary premium (as determined under paragraph (2) or (8) (as applicable) of section 1395w–113(a) of this title and as adjusted under section 1395w–113(a)(1)(B) of this title), less the amount of rebate credited toward such amount under subsection (b)(1)(C)(ii)(II).
The term “MA monthly supplemental beneficiary premium” means, with respect to an MA plan, the portion of the aggregate monthly bid amount submitted under clause (i) of subsection (a)(6)(A) for the year that is attributable under clause (ii)(III) of such subsection to the provision of supplemental health care benefits, less the amount of rebate credited toward such portion under subsection (b)(1)(C)(ii)(I).
For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2012, any MA monthly supplementary beneficiary premium charged to an individual enrolled in an MA plan shall be used for the purposes, and in the priority order, described in subclauses (I) through (III) of paragraph (1)(C)(iii).[3]
The term “Medicare+Choice monthly MSA premium” means, with respect to a Medicare+Choice plan, the amount of such premium filed under subsection (a)(3)(A) for the plan.
The term “unadjusted MA statutory non-drug monthly bid amount” means the portion of the bid amount submitted under clause (i) of subsection (a)(6)(A) for the year that is attributable under clause (ii)(I) of such subsection to the provision of benefits under the original medicare fee-for-service program option (as defined in section 1395w–22(a)(1)(B) of this title).
Subject to clause (iii), the Secretary shall determine, at the same time rates are promulgated under section 1395w–23(b)(1) of this title (beginning with 2006) for each State, the average of the risk adjustment factors to be applied under section 1395w–23(a)(1)(C) of this title to payment for enrollees in that State for MA local plans.
In the case of a State in which no MA local plan was offered in the previous year, the Secretary shall estimate such average. In making such estimate, the Secretary may use average risk adjustment factors applied to comparable States or applied on a national basis.
The Secretary shall determine, at the same time rates are promulgated under section 1395w–23(b)(1) of this title (beginning with 2006) for each MA region the average of the risk adjustment factors to be applied under section 1395w–23(a)(1)(C) of this title to payment for enrollees in that region for MA regional plans.
In the case of an MA region in which no MA regional plan was offered in the previous year, the Secretary shall estimate such average. In making such estimate, the Secretary may use average risk adjustment factors applied to comparable regions or applied on a national basis.
The Secretary may provide for the determination and application of risk adjustment factors under this subparagraph on the basis of areas other than MA regions or on a plan-specific basis.
Except as permitted under section 1395w–27(i) of this title, the MA monthly bid amount submitted under subsection (a)(6), the amounts of the MA monthly basic, prescription drug, and supplemental beneficiary premiums, and the MA monthly MSA premium charged under subsection (b) of an MA organization under this part may not vary among individuals enrolled in the plan.
Each Medicare+Choice organization shall permit the payment of Medicare+Choice monthly basic, prescription drug, and supplemental beneficiary premiums on a monthly basis, may terminate election of individuals for a Medicare+Choice plan for failure to make premium payments only in accordance with section 1395w–21(g)(3)(B)(i) of this title, and may not provide for cash or other monetary rebates as an inducement for enrollment or otherwise.
For periods before 2006, if the Medicare+Choice organization provides to its members enrolled under this part in a Medicare+Choice plan described in section 1395w–21(a)(2)(A) of this title with respect to supplemental benefits described in section 1395w–22(a)(3) of this title, the sum of the Medicare+Choice monthly supplemental beneficiary premium (multiplied by 12) charged and the actuarial value of its deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments charged with respect to such benefits may not exceed the adjusted community rate for such benefits (as defined in subsection (f)(3)).
If the Secretary determines that adequate data are not available to determine the actuarial value under paragraph (1)(A), (2), or (4), the Secretary may determine such amount with respect to all individuals in same geographic area, the State, or in the United States, eligible to enroll in the Medicare+Choice plan involved under this part or on the basis of other appropriate data.
For years before 2006, each Medicare+Choice organization (in relation to a Medicare+Choice plan, other than an MSA plan, it offers) shall provide that if there is an excess amount (as defined in subparagraph (B)) for the plan for a contract year, subject to the succeeding provisions of this subsection, the organization shall provide to individuals such additional benefits (as the organization may specify) in a value which the Secretary determines is at least equal to the adjusted excess amount (as defined in subparagraph (C)).
For purposes of this paragraph, the “adjusted excess amount”, for an organization for a plan, is the excess amount reduced to reflect any amount withheld and reserved for the organization for the year under paragraph (2).
Subject to clause (ii), as part of providing any additional benefits required under subparagraph (A), a Medicare+Choice organization may elect a reduction in its payments under section 1395w–23(a)(1)(A) of this title with respect to a Medicare+Choice plan and the Secretary shall apply such reduction to reduce the premium under section 1395r of this title of each enrollee in such plan as provided in section 1395s(i) of this title.
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as preventing a Medicare+Choice organization from providing supplemental benefits (described in section 1395w–22(a)(3) of this title) that are in addition to the health care benefits otherwise required to be provided under this paragraph and from imposing a premium for such supplemental benefits.
A Medicare+Choice organization may provide that a part of the value of an excess amount described in paragraph (1) be withheld and reserved in the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and in the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund (in such proportions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate) by the Secretary for subsequent annual contract periods, to the extent required to stabilize and prevent undue fluctuations in the additional benefits offered in those subsequent periods by the organization in accordance with such paragraph. Any of such value of the amount reserved which is not provided as additional benefits described in paragraph (1)(A) to individuals electing the Medicare+Choice plan of the organization in accordance with such paragraph prior to the end of such periods, shall revert for the use of such trust funds.
For purposes of this subsection, if the Secretary finds that there is insufficient enrollment experience to determine an average of the capitation payments to be made under this part at the beginning of a contract period or to determine (in the case of a newly operated provider-sponsored organization or other new organization) the adjusted community rate for the organization, the Secretary may determine such an average based on the enrollment experience of other contracts entered into under this part and may determine such a rate using data in the general commercial marketplace.
No State may impose a premium tax or similar tax with respect to payments to Medicare+Choice organizations under section 1395w–23 of this title or premiums paid to such organizations under this part.
The Secretary shall permit a Medicare+Choice organization to elect to apply the provisions of this section uniformly to separate segments of a service area (rather than uniformly to an entire service area) as long as such segments are composed of one or more Medicare+Choice payment areas.