Republican lawmakers recently revealed their much anticipated proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The plan calls for repealing almost all of the Affordable Care Act and replacing it with a mix of measures, like setting up “high-risk pools” for people with costly illnesses, raising premiums for older adults to lower rates for younger consumers, and making significant changes to Medicare and Medicaid…

This week, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the proposed Part B drug payment model. Medicare Rights, AARP, and a broad coalition, including consumer and patient advocates, physician groups, labor unions, and others, submitted a letter to the Senate Finance Committee in support of the proposal.

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee recently approved a 2017 spending bill that completely eliminates funding for the Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).

Older adults, people with disabilities, and their families and caregivers need assistance understanding the A, B, C and Ds of Medicare. Operating in every state, SHIPs answer questions about Medicare and help people solve problems. Eliminating SHIPs would leave millions who need support comparing coverage options, appealing denials, applying for financial assistance, and navigating increasingly complex Medicare benefits stranded—with nowhere to turn.

Due to a recent increase in the number of appeals and appeal backlogs, GAO was asked to take a look at the various levels of the appeals process and examine trends, the data that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) uses to keep track of the appeals process, and what HHS is doing to decrease the number of appeals.

The Health Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Ways & Means held a hearing this week to discuss legislative opportunities to improve and sustain the Medicare program. Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center, submitted a letter for the hearing record highlighting 50 ways to strengthen Medicare for today’s beneficiaries and for future generations.

Heeding a call to action from more than 40 leading consumer advocates and health insurers, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced an initiative to help people with Marketplace plans transition to Medicare.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently reported $1.5 billion in savings due to “big data” initiatives with the Fraud Prevention System (FPS), which started in June 2011. Over the past five years, CMS used data and predictive analytics to quickly identify and take action on cases of fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare program. Working closely with public and private predictive analytics experts, data scientists, and law enforcement, the FPS “has had a profound impact on fraudulent providers and illegitimate payments,” according to CMS.

In an issue brief released this month, the Commonwealth Fund examines the risk of high health care costs for a certain segment of the Medicare population. For more than 50 years, Medicare has provided guaranteed health benefits for millions of older adults and people with disabilities. Yet, a significant number of people with Medicare are exposed to high health care costs, with lower income populations being the most at risk.