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.
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released preliminary data on the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on people with Medicare. It confirms that older adults are at high risk of infection and serious illness, and that the virus is disproportionately impacting communities of color.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a harmful final rule that removes key Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections against discrimination based on sex stereotyping and gender identity.
The coronavirus public health emergency continues to put older adults and people with disabilities at significant risk. Federal policymakers have made important strides in responding to the outbreak, but more must be done to help people with Medicare.
While all Americans have felt its effects, the coronavirus public health emergency is disproportionately impacting minority communities, especially Black, Hispanic or Latino, and American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) people.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently expanded the functionality of the Medicare enrollment process to accommodate more online applications during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Medicare Rights Center shares in the profound pain, anger, and grief of our current moment, and we stand with those calling for fundamental change.
This week, the Trump administration announced a new two-year demonstration program that will reduce insulin costs for some people with Medicare drug coverage. The lower costs will no doubt be welcomed by the 1.3 million enrollees who stand to benefit, and we applaud this help. However, we are disappointed that this initiative will not offer relief to all who need it or address larger issues around prescription drug access and affordability.
A new Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) Health Tracking Poll offers insights into the impact of the coronavirus on American’s personal health and economic and food security, as well as about the Medicaid program.
This month, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released a brief that discusses early trends in Medicaid spending and enrollment resulting from the economic and health impacts of the coronavirus public health emergency. The numbers KFF found show how important it is to bolster Medicaid funding quickly to avoid cuts in important services for older adults and people with disabilities.
A recent analysis from The Commonwealth Fund highlights the problems consumers with “short-term” health plans may face during the coronavirus emergency. Over the past few years, the Trump administration has expanded access to short-term health plans that are not required to adhere to the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) consumer protections or insurance regulations. This non-compliance allows short-term plans to charge premiums based on health status, decline coverage for pre-existing conditions, impose annual or lifetime limits, and exclude coverage for the essential health benefits.
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released preliminary data on the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on people with Medicare. It confirms that older adults are at high risk of infection and serious illness, and that the virus is disproportionately impacting communities of color.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a harmful final rule that removes key Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections against discrimination based on sex stereotyping and gender identity.
The coronavirus public health emergency continues to put older adults and people with disabilities at significant risk. Federal policymakers have made important strides in responding to the outbreak, but more must be done to help people with Medicare.
While all Americans have felt its effects, the coronavirus public health emergency is disproportionately impacting minority communities, especially Black, Hispanic or Latino, and American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) people.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) recently expanded the functionality of the Medicare enrollment process to accommodate more online applications during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Medicare Rights Center shares in the profound pain, anger, and grief of our current moment, and we stand with those calling for fundamental change.
This week, the Trump administration announced a new two-year demonstration program that will reduce insulin costs for some people with Medicare drug coverage. The lower costs will no doubt be welcomed by the 1.3 million enrollees who stand to benefit, and we applaud this help. However, we are disappointed that this initiative will not offer relief to all who need it or address larger issues around prescription drug access and affordability.
A new Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) Health Tracking Poll offers insights into the impact of the coronavirus on American’s personal health and economic and food security, as well as about the Medicaid program.
This month, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released a brief that discusses early trends in Medicaid spending and enrollment resulting from the economic and health impacts of the coronavirus public health emergency. The numbers KFF found show how important it is to bolster Medicaid funding quickly to avoid cuts in important services for older adults and people with disabilities.
A recent analysis from The Commonwealth Fund highlights the problems consumers with “short-term” health plans may face during the coronavirus emergency. Over the past few years, the Trump administration has expanded access to short-term health plans that are not required to adhere to the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) consumer protections or insurance regulations. This non-compliance allows short-term plans to charge premiums based on health status, decline coverage for pre-existing conditions, impose annual or lifetime limits, and exclude coverage for the essential health benefits.
