Medicare Program; Contract Year 2024 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, Federal Register, v.88, n.70, April 12, 2023, pp.22120-22345; Final Rule; https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-04-12/pdf/2023-07115.pdf
SUMMARY: This final rule will revise the Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D), Medicare cost plan, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) regulations to implement changes related to Star Ratings, marketing and communications, health equity, provider directories, coverage criteria, prior authorization, passive enrollment, network adequacy, and other programmatic areas. This final rule will also codify regulations implementing section 118 of Division CC of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, section 11404 of the Inflation Reduction Act, and includes provisions that will codify existing sub-regulatory guidance in the Part C, Part D, and PACE programs. DATES: Effective date: These regulations are effective on June 5, 2023. Applicability dates: The provisions in this rule are applicable to coverage beginning January 1, 2024, except as otherwise noted. The revisions to §§ 422.166(a)(2)(i) and 423.186(a)(2)(i) regarding Tukey outlier deletion are applicable on June 5, 2023. The marketing and communications provisions at §§ 422.2262 through 422.2274 and 423.2262 through 423.2274 are applicable for all contract year 2024 marketing and communications beginning September 30, 2023. The revisions to the definition of ‘‘gross covered prescription drug costs’’ in § 423.308 are applicable on June 5, 2023. The removal of the Part C Diabetes Care—Kidney Disease Monitoring measure as described in sections V.D.1. of the final rule is applicable on June 5, 2023. The risk adjustment to the three Part D adherence measures based on sociodemographic status characteristics as described in section V.D.2. of this final rule is applicable for 2028 Star Rates beginning January 1, 2026. The PACE provision on the contract year definition at § 460.6 and the PACE provision on service determination requests at § 460.121 are applicable on June 5, 2023.