Statement by Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center, on
Administrative Priorities for President-Elect Trump’s Transition Team

Washington, DC—Today, the Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) addressed its top administrative policy priorities in letters to President-elect Trump and Congressional leadership. Medicare Rights is a national, nonprofit organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and policy initiatives.

We agree wholeheartedly with President-elect Trump’s repeated sentiment that, “[Medicare] is actually a program that works great.” In that spirit, we offer options that the new Administration can pursue to help people more successfully navigate the program.

Through our national helpline and educational programs, we witness Medicare’s successes and challenges firsthand. This experience confirms our belief that the basic guarantee and fundamental structure of Medicare must be preserved and improved to enhance benefits and affordability. This is the important context in which any Medicare policymaking must be considered.

Taking this context into account, we identify recommendations for President-elect Trump’s transition team and Congressional leadership to ensure that people with Medicare can maximize their earned benefits. Among these, we identify administrative pathways to simplify Medicare Part B enrollment; ensure active and informed beneficiary choice; enhance affordability; advance person-centered innovation; and others.

Read the letter to President-elect Trump.

Read the letter to Congressional leadership.

Read our latest issue brief “Medicare: Strong & Built to Last”

Contact: Mitchell Clark – mclark@medicarerights.org – 212-204-6286

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