Lawmakers seek adjustments in Medicare Advantage plans

Thirteen members of the U.S. House of Representatives are urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review and refine the formula used to determine payments for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans in Puerto Rico.  Organized by Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), the lawmakers requested a “review of the adequacy, and potential refining, of the formula to set Puerto Rico’s MA benchmarks” in a letter sent to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on Thursday.  The lawmakers pointed out that payments to Puerto Rican beneficiaries are 39 percent below the national average.  Island officials have sought the same geographic adjustment offered to Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Such a move would generate an estimated $1 billion in additional payments to health care providers on the Island.

New housing construction at Fort Buchanan

Twenty-six housing units currently under construction at Fort Buchanan are expected to be completed by November.  The project, which generates 50 direct jobs and an estimated $1.4 million in tax revenue, is intended to enhance the quality of life for officers and their families based at the U.S. Army installation, which is located between Bayamon and Guaynabo. The project represents an investment of approximately $32 million. In addition to the housing units, a microgrid will be developed at the base at a cost of $52 million.  The new units will replace housing that was constructed in the 1940s.

Members of Puerto Rican diaspora urged to visit Island

Plans are taking shape to encourage Puerto Ricans living on the mainland to visit the Island between May 1 and August 31.  Organizers of the initiative, called Junte Boricua 2024, have set a goal of 50,000 visitors, which would generate an estimated $75 million for small- and medium-sized businesses.  “This will have a significant economic impact, but the real impact of this initiative is connecting with the diaspora, which is immeasurable,” said Mike Soto, president of the Center for a New Economy. Approximately 470 volunteers from major U.S. cities have been recruited to promote the initiative, which is being organized by GFR Media.