Last week, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released an issue brief on private contracting—also sometimes referred to as balance billing. The brief explains existing rules that determine what health care providers can and cannot charge their Medicare patients. It also summarizes proposals to relax these rules, allowing doctors to set any price they choose for services and to require people with Medicare to sign contracts to pay above Medicare approved amounts in order to receive care. This proposal has been in the news recently as one of its champions is Congressman Tom Price, the nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

As policymakers continue to debate the future of our country’s health care system, some lawmakers support increasing the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67 in order to save money for the federal government. This costly benefit cut is sometimes defended by arguing that as Americans live longer and delay retirement, most people will not need Medicare at age 65. But most Americans retire well before age 67—half of all men are retired by age 64 and half of all women by age 62. Our latest issue brief, “Paying More for Less: Raising the Eligibility Age,” highlights the harmful consequences of increasing the eligibility age for Medicare above 65.

You may have already called your members of Congress about plans to dismantle Affordable Care Act (ACA) benefits for seniors, people with disabilities, and their families, without showing us a plan to replace it. Today is different. Today is a day especially for caregivers and the people they help to support.

For years, Medicare Rights has encouraged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans publish provider directories that are accurate and easily available to people with Medicare. Last week, CMS announced findings from a review of 54 MA organizations showing widespread inaccuracies in MA provider directories published online. According to the review, around 45% of the provider directory locations listed in these online directories were inaccurate.

This week, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare Foundation and Actuarial Research Corporation (ARC) released a new study on the impact of raising the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 to 67. The study compared two hypothetical situations.

Lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate and President Trump have doubled down on their plan to repeal the ACA—with no meaningful replacement in sight. Today’s an important day to make your voice heard. Join a national call-in day to protect the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid, and Medicare. Call 866-426-2631 today.

Last week, Medicare Rights partnered with Justice in Aging and the Center for Medicare Advocacy to defend access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities. Together, we wrote a letter urging Congress not to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without a viable and simultaneous replacement that provides American families with equal or improved access to high-quality, affordable health coverage.

65 national organizations signed the letter which details the risks a repeal and delay strategy poses for millions of Americans. We all agree: No older American or person with a disability should be made worse off by a vote to repeal the ACA.

Last week, we discussed how Congress introduced a budget resolution that began the process to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Last night, that budget resolution passed the U.S. Senate. Next up is the House of Representatives, who are expected to pass it easily on Friday. Because a budget resolution is not a law, it does not need to be signed by the President.