This week, the Biden-Harris administration finalized several rules to improve access and quality for people with Medicare or Medicaid. These rules target long-term care facilities, Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS), and Medicaid managed care. Together, the rules are important steps to ensure that people in these programs, especially those in […]
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) released research showing how Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provisions will lower costs for women with Medicare–including nearly 30 million women who have Part D. The ASPE data show that […]
This week, Medicare Rights joined 47 organizations representing people with Medicare, families, advocates, and providers in a letter thanking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the advancements in the 2025 Medicare Advantage (MA) rate announcement and urging additional action to further improve plan accountability and payment […]
As a companion to its report on race and discrimination, KFF released a new report and survey on the experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) adults. The survey asked both LGBT and non-LGBT adults about many scenarios and situations, including in daily life and health care settings. A […]
Yesterday, Medicare Rights Center President Fred Riccardi testified at a hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce, Subcommittee on Health, titled “Legislative Proposals To Support Patient Access To Telehealth Services.” The COVID-19 outbreak spurred significant changes in Medicare telehealth. Early in the pandemic, it was clear that Medicare beneficiaries […]
Late last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D prescription drug plans that will have a number of positive effects for enrollees and the program. This includes limiting insurance broker payments to make rates more rational and the […]
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 2025 payment rates for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plans. The final policies largely align with those proposed in the Advance Notice and are expected to increase Medicare payments to MA plans by 3.7%—over $16 billion—next year. […]
As of today, 41 states and the District of Columbia have expanded Medicaid coverage to adults between the ages of 19 and 64. Georgia is one of the holdouts. Though the state has taken steps to adopt a modified expansion, that approach has been unsuccessful, rife with significant eligibility and […]
