Earlier this month, legislators agreed to a Continuing Resolution (CR) which kept current funding levels steady for a few months and avoided a shut down of the federal government. In the last-minute negotiations, authorization and funding for the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) low-income outreach and assistance […]
This week, KFF released a report based on findings from their 2023 Survey of Consumer Experiences with Health Insurance focusing on the experiences and perspectives of people with Medicaid. The survey found that, compared to people with other forms of health insurance, people with Medicaid reported worse health status, which […]
Last week, the Medicare Rights Center joined with other advocacy organizations to urge a federal court to reject claims by AstraZeneca—a major pharmaceutical company—that the Medicare drug price negotiation is unconstitutional. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created a new program to allow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) […]
November is National Family Caregivers Month, and the Commonwealth Fund has released a timely issue brief that outlines ways Medicare could be improved to better support family caregivers. These short- and long-term policies fall into four categories: covering in-home services and supports, providing financial support, enabling better access to information, […]
Medicare’s annual Fall Open Enrollment (FOE) period runs from October 15 to December 7. It is the time of year when people can make unrestricted changes to their Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D prescription drug coverage. For many, this annual process of comparing a seemingly endless number of plan […]
The Biden-Harris administration has finalized the 2024 Physician Fee Schedule rule, an annual update to Part B provider payments and related policies. Starting next year, this rule will extend the coverage of medically necessary dental treatment, expand access to some mental health and substance use disorder providers, and help family […]
Younger adults can qualify for Medicare due to having a long-term disability, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). A recent KFF survey and analysis confirm previous research on the unique challenges facing this population. Compared to older beneficiaries, they are more likely to have low incomes, poor […]
A recent Commonwealth Fund survey report shows that a third of Medicare beneficiaries, including more than half of those under 65, have found it difficult to afford health care costs this year. More than one in five beneficiaries reported delaying or skipping needed health care because of the cost, including […]
