How to Improve Medicare Part D Appeals Each year, the Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) receives up to 5,000 calls from people with Medicare, family caregivers and service providers seeking help with Medicare appeals and coverage-related issues. Many of these calls are from beneficiaries or caregivers recently refused a prescription […]

Ensuring Seamless Transitions from Health Insurance Exchanges and Medicaid to Medicare As states and the federal government implement the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA),including expanding the Medicaid program and offering new qualified health plans through exchanges, they must develop a thoughtful and comprehensive plan to ensure that newly insured […]

Medicare is a federal program well-loved by an overwhelming majority of older adults andpeople with disabilities who benefit from it, and by their families. According to a national poll, 70 percent of Americans believe that Medicare should be preserved in its current form and that the government should guarantee a […]

Examining New York’s Medicare Advantage Plan Landscape in Light of Payment Reform The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided for cost savings in the Medicare program, in part to underwrite coverage expansion to Medicare beneficiaries, to finance new coverage for those not eligible for Medicare and to strengthen […]

On September 19, 2011, the Obama administration released its recommendations to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the supercommittee, to cut the deficit by more than $3 trillion through a mix of revenue increases and spending cuts. The administration’s plan includes increased revenues to achieve a […]

As the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the “supercommittee,” moves forward to its November 23rd deadline, determining what deficit-reduction proposals mean for people with Medicare is only possible if we understand the financial pressures already faced by Medicare consumers and the vital role that Medicare and […]

Recommendations for Plan Finder, Inspired by Beneficiaries By 2010, the majority of Medicare beneficiaries, over 27 million, had purchased prescription drug coverage through Medicare Part D. For help navigating their Part D coverage options, many Medicare beneficiaries turn to Plan Finder, an online tool created and maintained by the Centers […]

While most people know that Medicare is a program that helps Americans over age 65 and people with disabilities access quality and affordable health care, many people, including Medicare consumers themselves, do not realize that Medicaid programs also provide essential assistance for this population. For example, Medicare does not cover […]

The Medicare program provides important health coverage assistance to older adults and people with disabilities. However, it does not fully pay for all services and medications; people with Medicare pay significant out-of-pocket costs for premiums, coinsurances and deductibles. For low-income consumers, these costs can be prohibitive. Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) […]

Numerous older adults and people with disabilities are eligible for Medicare Parts A (hospital care) and B (physician services) but cannot afford their premiums and other costs because of limited income. In particular, older adults who qualify to enroll in Medicare but who lack ample work history with the Social […]