AHIP Backs House Bill Requiring Apples-to-Apples MA vs. FFS Data
AHIP on Sept. 29, 2026, endorsed the House Ways and Means Committee's advancement of the Apples to Apples Comparison Act (H.R. 4093), which the insurer group said would require Medicare to report more complete expenditure data and direct MedPAC to compare Medicare Advantage and fee-for-service Medicare using what it described as a more transparent and reliable methodology.
According to AHIP, the bill responds to concerns with MedPAC's current approach to comparing MA and FFS spending, including its estimates of favorable selection into MA and what AHIP says is a failure to account for differences in benefits, enrollment requirements, and the demographics and health characteristics of MA enrollees.
AHIP said accurate comparisons between the two programs show MA provides better care at lower costs, and noted that 36 million seniors and people with disabilities are enrolled in MA. The group urged policymakers to protect and strengthen the program.