WASHINGTON — Today, the House of Representatives passed a series of bipartisan bills introduced by members of the Ways and Means Committee to protect and strengthen the Medicare Advantage (MA) program for seniors by increasing transparency, accessibility, and accountability. Upon passage, Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) released the following statement:

“We have an obligation to protect our seniors and ensure they have access to top-notch health care. These commonsense reforms will remove many unnecessary bureaucratic burdens that currently plague our MA program so that it’s more accessible for those it serves. Putting what’s best for seniors at the forefront of Medicare is the first step in helping them find the best possible care, and I’m proud to join my colleagues in this bipartisan effort.”

The bills, along with their Ways and Means sponsors, are H.R. 2505, the Medicare Advantage Coverage Transparency Act, sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA); H.R. 2507, the Increasing Regulatory Fairness Act, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX); H.R. 2582, the Seniors’ Health Care Plan Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL); and H.R. 2570, the Strengthening Medicare Advantage through Innovation and Transparency for Seniors Act, sponsored by Rep. Diane Black (R-TN). For more information, including bill text and amendment language, please click here.