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Medicare Watch

Medicare Watch articles are featured in a weekly newsletter that helps readers stay up-to-date on Medicare policy and advocacy developments, and learn about changes in Medicare benefits and rules.

Key BENES Act Provisions Signed into Law

On December 23, Congress passed several key provisions of the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Act (S. 1280/H.R. 2477) as part of a comprehensive legislative package. Signed into law days later, these policies will update Medicare enrollment rules for the first time in over 50 years to end lengthy waits for coverage, expand critical administrative flexibilities, and inform future policymaking on enrollment period alignment.

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Three Damaging Health Regulations Put Access to Care and Coverage at Risk

As the end of the Trump presidency nears, his administration continues to try and push through last-minute regulations that could have sweeping effects on access to health care and coverage. These regulations affect Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act , putting millions of older adults, people with disabilities, and families at risk.

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Medicare Rights Provides a Summary of Policy Priorities for the Biden-Harris Administration

The Medicare Rights Center looks forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration to advance policies that protect and strengthen Medicare as well as the health and economic well-being of those who rely on its coverage. To facilitate this dialogue, in the coming weeks we will release a set of detailed administrative actions for their consideration—and possible adoption—in 2021. We will also outline our legislative priorities for the 117th Congress.

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Early Analysis Shows Flat to Decreasing Heath Care Utilization and Spending During the Coronavirus Crisis

At the start of the pandemic, estimates about the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency, and related economic crisis, on health care spending diverged widely. Some experts predicted increased health care costs due to the expense of treating patients with the novel disease, while others anticipated reduced spending as a result of lockdowns and the deferral of non-emergent procedures and treatments.

Read More »

Key BENES Act Provisions Signed into Law

On December 23, Congress passed several key provisions of the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Act (S. 1280/H.R. 2477) as part of a comprehensive legislative package. Signed into law days later, these policies will update Medicare enrollment rules for the first time in over 50 years to end lengthy waits for coverage, expand critical administrative flexibilities, and inform future policymaking on enrollment period alignment.

Three Damaging Health Regulations Put Access to Care and Coverage at Risk

As the end of the Trump presidency nears, his administration continues to try and push through last-minute regulations that could have sweeping effects on access to health care and coverage. These regulations affect Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act , putting millions of older adults, people with disabilities, and families at risk.

Medicare Rights Provides a Summary of Policy Priorities for the Biden-Harris Administration

The Medicare Rights Center looks forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration to advance policies that protect and strengthen Medicare as well as the health and economic well-being of those who rely on its coverage. To facilitate this dialogue, in the coming weeks we will release a set of detailed administrative actions for their consideration—and possible adoption—in 2021. We will also outline our legislative priorities for the 117th Congress.

Early Analysis Shows Flat to Decreasing Heath Care Utilization and Spending During the Coronavirus Crisis

At the start of the pandemic, estimates about the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency, and related economic crisis, on health care spending diverged widely. Some experts predicted increased health care costs due to the expense of treating patients with the novel disease, while others anticipated reduced spending as a result of lockdowns and the deferral of non-emergent procedures and treatments.