U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) has introduced the Apples to Apples Comparison Act of 2026, a bill aimed at making it easier for seniors to compare Medicare Advantage (MA) and traditional Fee-for-Service coverage. The legislation requires the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide clear and comparable data, so that seniors can make informed decisions about their health care plans.
“Seniors deserve straightforward, accurate, and easily understandable information to help them make informed decisions about their health care,” said Sen. Scott. “Too often, seniors are left comparing apples to oranges when evaluating their options between traditional Medicare versus Medicare Advantage, and that confusion can have real consequences for their health and finances. This bill will provide seniors the clear, comparable data they need to confidently choose the plan that best meets their needs and protects both their health and their pocketbooks.”
The proposed legislation has received support from several organizations involved in health care policy. Mike Tuffin, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), stated: “America’s seniors deserve to know that policymaking impacting their Medicare coverage is informed by accurate and unbiased information. The Apples to Apples Comparison Act will ensure that comparisons of the performance of Medicare Advantage and fee-for-service Medicare are based on complete, reliable information and consistent methodology – not on flawed extrapolations or agendas.”
America’s Physician Groups also expressed support for the bill. “As physician groups seeking to be held accountable for the costs and quality of health care, members of America’s Physician Groups greatly value the cost-effective care that they can provide through close partnerships with Medicare Advantage plans. That’s why we have a stake in enactment of the bipartisan Apples to Apples Comparison Act and are very pleased that Sen. Scott is sponsoring the Senate version. Policymakers need better information to evaluate Medicare Advantage, which is fundamentally a different program from Original Medicare and can’t be judged well by inaccurate government comparisons between the two. Requiring better and more valid measurements and transparency will go a long way to assuring both policymakers and the public that we have the tools needed to understand these programs and oversee them effectively,” said America’s Physician Groups.
Joel White, president of Council for Affordable Health Coverage (CAHC), commented: “The Council for Affordable Health Coverage supports the Apples to Apples Comparison Act. For too long, policymakers and Medicare beneficiaries have lacked a clear, standardized way to compare Medicare Advantage with fee-for-service Medicare. This commonsense legislation brings much-needed transparency by making Medicare spending data accurate, accessible, and comparable. By empowering beneficiaries with better information and encouraging competition based on quality and value, this bill strengthens Medicare without reducing benefits or limiting access.”
Lexi Branson, vice president for health policy at U.S. Chamber of Commerce added: “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce applauds Senator Tim Scott for introducing the Apples to Apples Comparison Act. The proposed legislation is a smart and straightforward step to bring clarity and consistency to MedPAC analysis.”
Senator Scott represents South Carolina in Congress where he focuses on issues such as economic development, education, health care, workforce development, community resources for residents in South Carolina as well as bridging economic disparities through policies like Opportunity Zones legislation enacted in 2017 (official website). He serves on committees related to banking, finance, small business among others (official website). More details about his background include experience in local government service as well as entrepreneurship (official website).
Full text of the bill is available online.
