Medicare Advisers’ Report Sparks Insurance Industry Backlash (1)

Medicare’s advisers to Congress recommended Thursday increasing doctor payments while also suggesting Medicare Advantage insurers are inflating program costs over traditional Medicare, a finding that prompted swift backlash from the industry.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s 2026 report to Congress aimed to mitigate the decline in doctor payments by suggesting their pay be permanently raised by 0.5%.

The advisers say the modest suggestion was informed by the need to strike a balance between paying doctors enough and ensuring the affordability of out-of-pocket costs for patients on Medicare.

Doctors’ payments are forecasted to drop 1.7% absent congressional action. The American Medical ...