This week, Medicare Rights joined with Justice in Aging and 65 other advocacy groups in a letter to urge the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand access to at-home COVID-19 tests and COVID-19 vaccine boosters for people with […]
Last week, the Kaiser Family Foundation released an issue brief identifying areas of change and possible concerns in the Medicaid program for 2022. The brief highlights several areas to watch in 2022, including potential Medicaid changes resulting from the ongoing pandemic and Public Health Emergency, the uncertain fate of the […]
Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment grew by an estimated 9% in 2022, according to an analysis by AXIOS news. This jump comes amidst mounting evidence that the MA system needs substantial reform and oversight and continues to cost the federal government considerably more than traditional Medicare. MA is administered by private […]
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) significantly expanded access to preventive care. It not only required most insurers to cover these services without cost-sharing but also made such coverage more widely available, including through the expansion of Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplaces. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning […]
In November, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the Medicare Part B standard monthly premium would jump by 15% ($21.60) in 2022, from $148.50 to $170.10. As expected, the potential costs associated with covering the controversial new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm—for which a Medicare coverage decision is expected this spring—factored […]
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new proposed rule that would require Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to change the way they calculate drug prices and to pass certain savings on to consumers at the pharmacy counter. These changes would likely reduce out-of-pocket […]
The No Surprises Act, a federal law that protects people who are covered under group and individual health insurance policies from receiving surprise bills in many circumstances, went into effect at the beginning of the year. The law also establishes an independent mechanism to resolve disputes between plans and providers […]
A recent report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) shows that many people with Medicare are not receiving needed prescription medications and therapy to treat their Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). These findings come during a surge in opioid-related overdose deaths nationally. Around […]
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