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Celebrating 35 years of making Medicare more accessible, affordable, and equitable!

Medicare Watch

Medicare Watch articles are featured in a weekly newsletter that helps readers stay up-to-date on Medicare policy and advocacy developments, and learn about changes in Medicare benefits and rules.

URGENT: Tell Congress to Vote “NO” Today

The U.S. House of Representatives is voting today on a plan that would rip health coverage away from 24 million Americans, impose an unaffordable “age tax” on health care for older adults, end Medicaid as we know it, and undermine the Medicare guarantee. Recent changes to the proposal have only made a bad bill worse.

Your voice has never been more important than it is today. Follow the steps below to urge your representative to vote “no” on the American Health Care Act.

Read More »

Our voice was heard

Because of the hard work from advocates across the country, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) today—a victory for older Americans, people with disabilities, and their families.

Read More »

What’s at Stake: Two New Yorkers Explain Why They’re Urging a “No” Vote on the American Health Care Act

This week, Kim and Anita of New York wrote a letter to their representative in Congress urging a “no” vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Both women benefited from the Medicaid expansion of the ACA, and they wanted to express their fear and dismay that the AHCA would take this important coverage option away from others.

Read More »

Older Adults Among Those Hardest Hit by the American Health Care Act

Earlier this week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its highly anticipated analysis of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and what its passage would mean for American families. The CBO estimate confirms our worst fears—24 million people would lose health coverage over the next decade.

The report affirms that older adults will be among those hardest hit by the proposal. If the AHCA becomes law, the number of uninsured would increase most significantly among low-income Americans ages 50 to 64.

Read More »

How the American Health Care Act Affects Medicare

This week, two prominent policy organizations published articles on how the American Health Care Act (AHCA)—the Republican bill put forward to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—would change the Medicare program. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) identify the AHCA’s Medicare provisions and illustrate the potential impact of the changes.

Read More »

Medicare Rights Tells Congress: We Cannot Support the American Health Care Act

Earlier this week, Congressional Republicans unveiled their plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), known as the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Only two day later, the bill was debated and voted on by the House Committees on Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means. In response, Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights), sent a letter to the Committee leadership explaining why Medicare Rights cannot support the legislation or the process behind it.

Read More »

Relief Opportunity Announced for Marketplace Enrollees Who Need Medicare

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced a time-limited opportunity allowing Medicare-eligible people who were or are currently enrolled in the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplaces to enroll in Medicare Part B and to be relieved of any associated late enrollment penalties.

This chance to request equitable relief is welcome news for Marketplace enrollees who wrongly delayed or declined Medicare Part B enrollment. The relief may include retroactive or immediate Medicare Part B enrollment and a reduction in or elimination of Medicare Part B late enrollment penalties. People who were or are enrolled in Marketplace coverage and who are entitled to premium-free Medicare Part A can apply for this relief through September 2017.

Read More »

Medicare Rights Comments on Proposed Changes to MA and Part D in 2018

This week, the Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) submitted comments in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2018 Advance Rate Notice and Draft Call Letter (2018 Call Letter). CMS announces proposed changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D programs through a yearly call letter, and every year Medicare Rights provides feedback to the agency on proposals we support and where we have concerns.

Read More »

URGENT: Tell Congress to Vote “NO” Today

The U.S. House of Representatives is voting today on a plan that would rip health coverage away from 24 million Americans, impose an unaffordable “age tax” on health care for older adults, end Medicaid as we know it, and undermine the Medicare guarantee. Recent changes to the proposal have only made a bad bill worse.

Your voice has never been more important than it is today. Follow the steps below to urge your representative to vote “no” on the American Health Care Act.

Our voice was heard

Because of the hard work from advocates across the country, the U.S. House of Representatives failed to vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) today—a victory for older Americans, people with disabilities, and their families.

Estimates Show the American Health Care Act Would Drastically Increase Part B Premiums

New estimates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), reported by the Ranking Members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee and U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee, find the American Health Care Act (AHCA) repeal of a tax on pharmaceutical companies will increase Medicare Part B premiums by $8.7 billion in aggregate over ten years.

What’s at Stake: Two New Yorkers Explain Why They’re Urging a “No” Vote on the American Health Care Act

This week, Kim and Anita of New York wrote a letter to their representative in Congress urging a “no” vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Both women benefited from the Medicaid expansion of the ACA, and they wanted to express their fear and dismay that the AHCA would take this important coverage option away from others.

Older Adults Among Those Hardest Hit by the American Health Care Act

Earlier this week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its highly anticipated analysis of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and what its passage would mean for American families. The CBO estimate confirms our worst fears—24 million people would lose health coverage over the next decade.

The report affirms that older adults will be among those hardest hit by the proposal. If the AHCA becomes law, the number of uninsured would increase most significantly among low-income Americans ages 50 to 64.

How the American Health Care Act Affects Medicare

This week, two prominent policy organizations published articles on how the American Health Care Act (AHCA)—the Republican bill put forward to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—would change the Medicare program. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) identify the AHCA’s Medicare provisions and illustrate the potential impact of the changes.

Medicare Rights Tells Congress: We Cannot Support the American Health Care Act

Earlier this week, Congressional Republicans unveiled their plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), known as the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Only two day later, the bill was debated and voted on by the House Committees on Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means. In response, Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights), sent a letter to the Committee leadership explaining why Medicare Rights cannot support the legislation or the process behind it.

Relief Opportunity Announced for Marketplace Enrollees Who Need Medicare

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced a time-limited opportunity allowing Medicare-eligible people who were or are currently enrolled in the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplaces to enroll in Medicare Part B and to be relieved of any associated late enrollment penalties.

This chance to request equitable relief is welcome news for Marketplace enrollees who wrongly delayed or declined Medicare Part B enrollment. The relief may include retroactive or immediate Medicare Part B enrollment and a reduction in or elimination of Medicare Part B late enrollment penalties. People who were or are enrolled in Marketplace coverage and who are entitled to premium-free Medicare Part A can apply for this relief through September 2017.

Medicare Rights Comments on Proposed Changes to MA and Part D in 2018

This week, the Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) submitted comments in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2018 Advance Rate Notice and Draft Call Letter (2018 Call Letter). CMS announces proposed changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D programs through a yearly call letter, and every year Medicare Rights provides feedback to the agency on proposals we support and where we have concerns.

CELEBRATING

YEARS

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