ABOUT MARC
The Medicare Advocacy Recovery Coalition (MARC) was formed in September of 2008 by a group of stakeholders to advocate on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries and affected companies for the improvement of the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) program. To achieve that goal, MARC collaborates and develops strategic alliances with Congressional leaders and government agencies to improve the MSP process, and to implement broader MSP reform. MARC's membership represents virtually every sector impacted by MSP, including plaintiffs and defense attorneys, brokers, insureds, insurers, insurance and trade associations, self-insureds and third-party administrators.
Mission
Ensure that Medicare beneficiaries receive coordinated and uninterrupted coverage for claims involving secondary payer issues;- Facilitate national-level coordination, collaboration, and communication among the member organizations regarding Medicare Secondary Payer reimbursement and recovery policy;
- Formulate policy recommendations to improve Medicare Secondary Payer reimbursement and recovery procedures; and
- Develop and implement legislative and regulatory improvements to ensure that the secondary payer program works effectively, efficiently and economically.
Accomplishments
Over the past year MARC has achieved numerous reforms in the implementation and operation of the Medicare Secondary Payer laws in the legislative, regulatory and legal arenas. More specifically:
Legislative
- MARC worked collaboratively with a broad base of national stakeholder organizations starting in March of 2010, to develop a legislative package and built strong industry support for the draft bill prior to House introduction.
- Assisted Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA) and Ron Kind (D-WI) with the introduction in March 2011 of the SMART Act (H.R. 1069, 112th Congress), and with Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rob Portman (R-OH) with introduction of the SMART Act in the Senate (S.1718).
- MARC has collected over 500 letters of endorsement in support of the SMART Act from a broad spectrum of individuals, companies and associations.
- MARC has worked with hundreds of members of Congress to explain the MSP process, and to garner co-sponsorship of the SMART Act.
Regulatory
- MARC was one of the first organizations to identify and communicate with CMS the structural problems with the Section 111 implementation, and was the first to call for a delay in the reporting process. As a result of MARC's efforts, CMS delayed reporting for workers' compensation and no fault claims through January 1, 2011, and for liability claims until January 1, 2012.
- MARC is and continues to be the leading voice in communicating with Congress, the Executive Branch, and the White House on "Section 111" reporting issues. MARC has met and educated Congressional Leaders in both the House and Senate, as well as met with officials in the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the White House on MSP issues.
- MARC has been the leading proponent of broad reform with the current reporting process and has worked collaboratively as a Coalition and with stakeholder organizations to recommend a more streamlined and functional process, benefiting the government and private sector.
Legal
- MARC has taken the lead in monitoring and assisting in the increasing level of MSP litigation throughout the country.
- Beginning in 2009, MARC took the lead in assisting before the United States Court of Appeals on a major test case with national implications involving the challenge to CMS MSP policy that harms the MSP program for beneficiaries, stakeholders and the Medicare Trust Fund.