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📢 URGENT: Protect Medicaid for Millions of People with Medicare

Medicare Watch

Medicare Watch articles are featured in Medicare Rights’ weekly newsletter, which helps readers stay updated on Medicare policy and advocacy developments and learn about changes in Medicare benefits and rules. Subscribe now by visiting www.medicarerights.org/newsletters.

a roll of bills from which spill out pills of many colors

Legislation to Make Prescription Drug Pricing Transparent Reintroduced

This week, a bipartisan bill was reintroduced in Congress that aims to curb rising pharmaceutical costs through transparency. Senators John McCain of Arizona and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, along with Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, introduced the FAIR Drug Pricing Act in response to reports that prescription drug spending continues to skyrocket as pharmaceutical companies hike their prices, often multiple times a year and without warning.

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Medicare Out-of-Pocket Costs Too High for Some

The Commonwealth Fund released a report this week examining out-of-pocket expenses for people with Medicare. Fifty-six million people—17% of the U.S. population— rely on Medicare and receive many benefits from the program, yet, Original Medicare excludes coverage for dental, vision, hearing, and long-term services, and contains no ceiling on out-of-pocket costs for covered services. As a result, beneficiaries can be exposed to high costs.

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5 Things You Can Do to Help Stop the American Health Care Act

With the House passage of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) last week, Congress is one step closer to making radical changes to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and Medicare that will put millions of Americans at risk of losing affordable health care. The AHCA ends Medicaid as we know it, eliminates insurance protections, raises premiums on older Americans, damages employer-based coverage, and undermines Medicare.

Now, Senate Republicans are weighing what’s next for the AHCA, which makes it all the more important to make your voice heard. Here are five things everyone can do to join the fight to protect our care.

Read More »

Commonwealth Fund Releases Study Comparing People with Medicaid to Uninsured and Those with Private Insurance

Last week, the Commonwealth Fund released a study comparing the experiences of working-age adults with various insurance statuses over the course of a year. Specifically, the study compared those with Medicaid, those with private or employer-sponsored insurance, and those without insurance. With more than 70 million Americans covered by Medicaid, and an estimated 12 million gaining coverage under the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, it is important to know how people’s experience of that coverage stacks up to private coverage and to being uninsured.

Read More »

New Data Highlights Income and Assets of People with Medicare

Last week, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released a brief with updated income and asset information and projections for people with Medicare. KFF regularly publishes this information to provide “context for understanding the extent to which the current and future generations of beneficiaries can afford to absorb higher health care costs.”

Read More »

How Medicaid Per Capita Caps Would Affect Low-Income People with Medicare

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently released an issue brief highlighting what a Medicaid per capita cap could mean for people with Medicare who have low incomes. Through the American Health Care Act, some policymakers propose capping what the federal government pays for Medicaid benefits—effectively undermining the program’s basic promise and guarantee.

Read More »
a roll of bills from which spill out pills of many colors

Legislation to Make Prescription Drug Pricing Transparent Reintroduced

This week, a bipartisan bill was reintroduced in Congress that aims to curb rising pharmaceutical costs through transparency. Senators John McCain of Arizona and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, along with Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, introduced the FAIR Drug Pricing Act in response to reports that prescription drug spending continues to skyrocket as pharmaceutical companies hike their prices, often multiple times a year and without warning.

Medicare Out-of-Pocket Costs Too High for Some

The Commonwealth Fund released a report this week examining out-of-pocket expenses for people with Medicare. Fifty-six million people—17% of the U.S. population— rely on Medicare and receive many benefits from the program, yet, Original Medicare excludes coverage for dental, vision, hearing, and long-term services, and contains no ceiling on out-of-pocket costs for covered services. As a result, beneficiaries can be exposed to high costs.

5 Things You Can Do to Help Stop the American Health Care Act

With the House passage of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) last week, Congress is one step closer to making radical changes to Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and Medicare that will put millions of Americans at risk of losing affordable health care. The AHCA ends Medicaid as we know it, eliminates insurance protections, raises premiums on older Americans, damages employer-based coverage, and undermines Medicare.

Now, Senate Republicans are weighing what’s next for the AHCA, which makes it all the more important to make your voice heard. Here are five things everyone can do to join the fight to protect our care.

Commonwealth Fund Releases Study Comparing People with Medicaid to Uninsured and Those with Private Insurance

Last week, the Commonwealth Fund released a study comparing the experiences of working-age adults with various insurance statuses over the course of a year. Specifically, the study compared those with Medicaid, those with private or employer-sponsored insurance, and those without insurance. With more than 70 million Americans covered by Medicaid, and an estimated 12 million gaining coverage under the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, it is important to know how people’s experience of that coverage stacks up to private coverage and to being uninsured.

New Data Highlights Income and Assets of People with Medicare

Last week, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released a brief with updated income and asset information and projections for people with Medicare. KFF regularly publishes this information to provide “context for understanding the extent to which the current and future generations of beneficiaries can afford to absorb higher health care costs.”

CMS Reports on Quality of Care Delivered to People with Medicare Advantage

This month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a report on the quality of the health care delivered to people with Medicare Advantage. The report shows separate results for women and men, noting that it appears that the gender of the care recipient may influence the racial and ethnic differences in health care.

How Medicaid Per Capita Caps Would Affect Low-Income People with Medicare

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently released an issue brief highlighting what a Medicaid per capita cap could mean for people with Medicare who have low incomes. Through the American Health Care Act, some policymakers propose capping what the federal government pays for Medicaid benefits—effectively undermining the program’s basic promise and guarantee.