Last week, Medicare Rights submitted comments in support of a proposed rule that would rescind a Trump-era policy to weaken consumer protections for some types of health insurance plans. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) guaranteed individual and small-group market consumers a basic set of benefits and protections, including a prohibition […]
A recent survey from the Commonwealth Fund asked people with Original Medicare (OM) and Medicare Advantage (MA) about their experiences with access to benefits, services, providers, care coordination, and satisfaction. The key findings include: Care Delays and Affordability Larger shares of beneficiaries in MA plans experienced care delays due to […]
This week, the Medicare Rights Center joined with consumer and health care groups to participate in the Medicare-Medicaid Integration Alliance (MMIA). The MMIA will focus on improving how people with both Medicare and Medicaid navigate the programs, such as finding ways to reduce barriers that interfere with access to care […]
For the over 12 million people dually enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, known as dually eligible individuals, Medicare is their primary insurer. It mainly pays for medical services, such as hospital care, doctors’ visits, and prescription drugs. Medicaid wraps around this coverage, helping with Medicare costs and paying for services […]
We wrote last month and late last year about the crisis facing programs that support assistance for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Unfortunately, the problem has not yet been resolved. Authorization and funding for programs that support outreach and enrollment into benefits that help with health care costs was dropped from the […]
KFF has released a new issue brief previewing expected savings for millions of Medicare Part D enrollees starting in 2025 due to provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). As of January 1, 2024, Part D enrollees are no longer required to pay 5% coinsurance after they reach […]
On February 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent initial offers to manufacturers of the first 10 Part D drugs subject to price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a significant implementation milestone. As announced in August, HHS selected these medications based on criteria outlined […]
An issue brief out this week from KFF confirms what Medicare Rights knows to be true from helping our clients and callers: While overall satisfaction with Medicare is high, the financial burdens of accessing needed health care can prove challenging for beneficiaries. The report notes that more than one third […]
Beginning this year, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) expands eligibility for the Part D Low Income Subsidy (LIS), also called “Extra Help.” This important program helps people afford their medication and coverage. New in 2024, everyone with Extra Help will pay a $0 premium, $0 deductible, and a reduced amount […]
For the second year in a row, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced record enrollments in Affordable Care Act (ACA) individual marketplace plans, with 21.3 million consumers signing up for 2024, a whopping 30% increase from last year’s previous record of over 16.3 million. These numbers include […]
