The Medicare Rights Center applauds the recent introduction of the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) 2.0 Act (S. 3675) in the U.S. Senate. Led by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Todd Young (R-IN), this important bill would require the federal government to provide advance notice to people approaching […]
Equity and disparities in health care and outcomes have been in the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of the data, including the latest release from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), show that some racial and ethnic minority populations have consistently been disproportionately harmed by COVID-19 cases, serious illness, and […]
Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld a ruling that Medicare must provide recourse—appeal rights—to beneficiaries who are admitted to the hospital as “inpatients” and subsequently reclassified as “outpatients” receiving “observation services.” This decision will help people with Medicare pursue coverage for vital post-hospital nursing […]
Many people with Medicare lack coverage for oral and dental services, despite the clear need for such care. Untreated infections in the mouth have been closely linked to other chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, dementia, stroke, and heart disease. In addition, people without dental care may have pain or looseness […]
Today, a Medicare Rights Center client, Jane Doyle, testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging about her and her family’s experiences with Medicare and Medicaid. In the hearing, titled “Improving Care Experiences for People with both Medicare and Medicaid,” she shared her perspective as someone dually eligible for […]
This week, over 90 advocacy and other organizations sent a letter to U.S. Senators, urging them to pass the drug pricing reforms included in the House-passed Build Back Better (BBB) Act (HR 5376). These policies would allow Medicare to negotiate some drug prices, limit annual price increases on drugs to […]
Earlier today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to make over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests available to people with Medicare at no cost by “early spring.” According to the agency, “[u]nder the new initiative, Medicare beneficiaries will be able to access up to eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests […]
Last week, Medicare Rights submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urging the agency to better protect people who purchase Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. In a new rule, CMS proposes to reinstate prohibitions against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination and requested comments on steps […]
