The Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) appreciates this opportunity to comment on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s white paper, “Policy Options for Integrating Care for Individuals with Both Medicare and Medicaid.” 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 public policy initiatives. Each year, Medicare Rights provides services and resources to nearly three million people with Medicare, family caregivers, and professionals.
General comments
We are pleased with this set of policy options for integrating care for dually eligible individuals. On our national helpline, we have seen the serious issues that can arise when care is not fully integrated, especially when beneficiaries are forced to engage with disparate grievances and appeals processes. Too often, the provider, plan, or even state personnel do not understand both programs, what services intersect, and how to file timely appeals. We urge the full integration of grievance and appeals processes as well as the creation of robust participant ombudsman and transparency in appeals decisions records to ensure that people with Medicare and Medicaid are receiving care in a timely, fair, and affordable manner.
Any changes to the Medicare program must aim for healthier people, better care, and smarter spending—not paying more for less. As policymakers debate the future of health care, we will provide our insights here.
Thinking ahead to Medicare's future, it’s important to modernize benefits and pursue changes that improve how people with Medicare navigate their coverage on a daily basis. Here are our evolving 30 policy goals for Medicare’s future.
You can help protect and strengthen Medicare by taking action on the important issues we are following, subscribe to newsletter alerts, or follow along on social media. Any way you choose to get involved is a contribution that we appreciate greatly.
Comments on Bipartisan Policy Center Integrated Care White Paper
The Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) appreciates this opportunity to comment on the Bipartisan Policy Center’s white paper, “Policy Options for Integrating Care for Individuals with Both Medicare and Medicaid.” 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 public policy initiatives. Each year, Medicare Rights provides services and resources to nearly three million people with Medicare, family caregivers, and professionals.
General comments
We are pleased with this set of policy options for integrating care for dually eligible individuals. On our national helpline, we have seen the serious issues that can arise when care is not fully integrated, especially when beneficiaries are forced to engage with disparate grievances and appeals processes. Too often, the provider, plan, or even state personnel do not understand both programs, what services intersect, and how to file timely appeals. We urge the full integration of grievance and appeals processes as well as the creation of robust participant ombudsman and transparency in appeals decisions records to ensure that people with Medicare and Medicaid are receiving care in a timely, fair, and affordable manner.
Recent Resources
Medicare Savings Program Enrollment
Medicare Savings Program Recertification
Medicaid Renewal
Medicare-Medicaid Integration
2025 Outpatient Prospective Payment System
Any changes to the Medicare program must aim for healthier people, better care, and smarter spending—not paying more for less. As policymakers debate the future of health care, we will provide our insights here.
Thinking ahead to Medicare's future, it’s important to modernize benefits and pursue changes that improve how people with Medicare navigate their coverage on a daily basis. Here are our evolving 30 policy goals for Medicare’s future.
You can help protect and strengthen Medicare by taking action on the important issues we are following, subscribe to newsletter alerts, or follow along on social media. Any way you choose to get involved is a contribution that we appreciate greatly.