(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — On Monday, United States Reupblican Congressman Troy Downing introduced the Protecting Authority and Restoring Tools Necessary for Enforcement by Regulatory States Act of 2026, or the “PARTNERS Act of 2026,” legislation to grant states the ability to enforce existing federal Medicare Advantage (MA) plan requirements.
Under current law, states are largely preempted from independently enforcing standards on Medicare Advantage plans, leaving federal regulators as the sole enforcement authority. The PARTNERS Act would create a parallel state enforcement track allowing states to require MA organizations operating within their borders to comply with existing federal MA requirements.
Importantly, the legislation does not create any new standards or mandates for Medicare Advantage plans. Instead, it grants enforcement tools to states and strengthens coordination between federal and state regulators.
