The Medicare Rights Center applauds the recent introduction of the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) 2.0 Act (S. 1687) in the U.S. Senate. Led by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Todd Young (R-IN), this important bill would require the federal government to provide advance notice to people approaching […]
A recently released study found that in 2022, over 20% of adults 65 and older experienced cost-related medication nonadherence, meaning they decided not to fill a prescription, skipped doses, took less medicine, delayed filling a prescription, or used someone else’s medication due to cost. Just over half of the study […]
Fall Open Enrollment, which occurs each year from October 15 to December 7, is a critical time for people with Medicare to review and change their coverage for the next year. Thanks to ongoing support from our donors, our dedicated staff and volunteers can provide accurate and unbiased information, advocacy, […]
Did you know that millions of low-income older adults and people with disabilities could save money on health care costs by enrolling in Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs)? These programs help pay for Medicare premiums and other out-of-pocket expenses. But many eligible people don’t know about them or how to apply. […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this week that it will cover seat elevation technology in Medicare-covered power wheelchairs as durable medical equipment (DME). Effective immediately, both Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage will cover seat elevation for those who need it to perform activities of daily living […]
Significant gaps in data about Medicare Advantage (MA) plan processes and enrollee experiences make it impossible for policymakers to hold plans accountable and for beneficiaries to make informed coverage choices. This opacity has long been concerning but calls for transparency have taken on a new urgency as MA enrollment and […]
The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) declaration in effect since early 2020 ends today, May 11. The PHE allowed the federal government to waive or modify certain Medicare rules to ease access to care during the pandemic. While some of these policies will remain in place, others expire immediately. As […]
On May 3, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on access to behavioral health care in Medicare Advantage (MA) and the problem of inaccurate provider directories. One area of focus in the hearing was “ghost networks”—MA provider networks that look more robust than they are because the underlying plan […]
Many of the millions of low-income older adults and people with disabilities who are eligible for Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) don’t know about them or how to apply. These programs help pay for Medicare premiums and other out-of-pocket expenses, providing crucial assistance to those who may be struggling to make […]
Recently released data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) show that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans now cover over half of eligible beneficiaries. MA plans contract with the federal government to offer coverage for the services paid for by Parts A and B of Medicare and are available […]
