Medicare Program; Establishment of the Medicare Advantage Program

This final rule implements provisions of the Social Security Act (the Act) establishing and regulating the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. The MA program was enacted in Title II of The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) (Pub. L. 108-173) on December 8, 2003. The MA program replaces the Medicare+Choice (M+C) program established under Part C of title XVIII of the Act, while retaining most key features of the M+C program. The MA program attempts to broadly reform and expand the availability of private health plan options to Medicare beneficiaries. This final rule responds to public comments on a proposed rule published on August 3, 2004 (FR 69 46866). EFFECTIVE DATE: These regulations are effective March 22, 2005 except for the following changes which will become effective on January 1, 2006: amendment of Sec. 417.600(b); removal of Sec. 417.602 through Sec. 417.638; and amendments to Sec. 417.832(d); and Sec. 417.840.