Greg Murphy, a representative from North Carolina, said that insurers are misrepresenting Medicare reform efforts aimed at ending overbilling and care denials. The statement was made on the social media platform X.
“Medicare Advantage desperately needs reform,” said Murphy, U.S. Representative from North Carolina. “When we do this, insurance companies will tell you we are cutting Medicare. That’s a lie. We are stopping their practices of over billing and denying care for patients.”
In 2025, lawmakers renewed bipartisan efforts to reform Medicare Advantage by targeting insurer practices that delay care through prior authorization. According to Fierce Healthcare, the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act was reintroduced in the Senate to simplify the prior authorization process and ensure quicker access to medically necessary treatments. The bill reflects growing concern that bureaucratic delays are undermining patient outcomes in Medicare Advantage plans.
A 2024 report by the Medicare Rights Center found that Medicare Advantage plans denied 7.4% of prior authorization requests in 2022, up from 5.7% in 2019. The organization reported that 80% of these denials were overturned on appeal, suggesting many were unwarranted. This pattern raises concerns about insurer overreach and access barriers in the Medicare Advantage system.
Medicare Advantage enrollment grew by 7% from 2023 to 2024, adding 2.1 million beneficiaries nationwide. An analysis by KFF indicated that more than half of Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in Advantage plans, with projections reaching 64% by 2034. This continued growth underscores the need for oversight and reform to ensure plan quality and patient protections.
Murphy, a Republican from North Carolina and practicing urologist, has led efforts in Congress to protect Medicare payment stability for physicians. According to a statement from his official House website, he introduced the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act to block scheduled reimbursement cuts and add annual inflationary adjustments. His proposals aim to maintain care access for seniors while sustaining provider participation.
The U.S. House of Representatives exercises oversight over Medicare through the Ways and Means Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee. As explained by KFF, Ways and Means handles Medicare Part A, while Energy and Commerce oversees Parts B, C, and D. These committees are central to drafting and monitoring health legislation affecting millions of Americans on Medicare.
