An Analysis of 2014 Call Data from the Medicare Rights Center’s National Helpline In 2014, the Medicare Rights Center’s (Medicare Rights) staff and helpline volunteers fielded more than 17,000 questions and issues through the organization’s national consumer helpline. Callers included over 11,000 Medicare beneficiaries and caregivers across the country. As […]
Certain adults in New York City and Nassau County are now eligible to enroll in a Fully Integrated Duals Advantage (FIDA) plan, launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the New York State Department of Health in 2015. FIDA gives dually eligible beneficiaries (those eligible for Medicare […]
An Analysis of 2013 Call Data from the Medicare Rights Center’s National Helpline In 2013, the Medicare Rights Center’s (Medicare Rights) national helpline fielded more than 15,000 questions from Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and professionals across the country. Callers were geographically and socioeconomically diverse, and needed help with a wide array […]
Recommendations to Improve the Medicare Enrollment System for Consumers An often-reported fact is that 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 and become Medicare-eligible each day. Less well known, and commonly misunderstood, are the rules concerning how to enroll in Medicare. While most newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries are automatically enrolled, others must […]
The Affordable Care Act closes the Part D doughnut hole—the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage—by gradually reducing the consumer’s share of drug costs over a period of ten years. In 2015, you get a discount on drugs when you’re in the doughnut hole…
Managing Medicare Advantage Denials of Coverage and Appeals Today, nearly 16 million seniors and people with disabilities are enrolled in an MA plan, representing 30 percent of the Medicare population. Many people with MA plans have a positive experience and report a favorable experience with their plan. Yet, we find […]
The Supreme Court recently ruled that some parts of DOMA violate the Constitution and are therefore not legal. If you were legally married in a state that allows same sex marriage and you live in a state that recognizes your marriage, the federal government recognizes your marriage, This means there […]
With Medicare a target for federal savings, lawmakers propose many ways to cut costs. Unfortunately, many of these strategies involve slashing benefits or shifting costs to seniors and people with disabilities. Often overlooked in this debate is that the federal government can secure significant Medicare savings without worsening the already […]
Examining New York’s Medicare Advantage Plan Landscape after the Affordable Care Act Changes to Medicare Advantage (MA) payment methodologies and rates initiated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), have been met with doomsday predictions that such adjustments—intended to bring MA payments closer in line to the cost of providing the […]
An Analysis of 2012 Call Data from the Medicare Rights Center’s National Helpline In 2012, Medicare Rights’ helpline answered more than 14,000 Medicare-related questions posed by older adults and people with disabilities, their family members and the professionals serving them. Their stories fill an extensive, carefully curated database that presents […]
