Statement by Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker on Launch of Medicare “Employer Community”

New York, NY—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took an important step to help retirees and people nearing Medicare eligibility transition to Medicare with greater ease through the launch of a one-stop web resource for employers.

The “Employer Community” launched by CMS makes sense of the Medicare enrollment process, narrowing in on key messages concerning timely Medicare enrollment, how insurance coordinates, and more. We applaud CMS for heeding calls from the Medicare Rights Center and others to strengthen education on when and how to enroll in Medicare and what can result from delayed enrollment.

Employers are a critical information source for people aging into Medicare or becoming eligible due to a disability, and we are pleased that CMS designed resources specifically to aid employers. We urge CMS to build on this resource by continuing to enhance education and outreach for those new to Medicare and by working hand-in-hand with the Social Security Administration to develop new and improved notices for people approaching Medicare eligibility.

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