House Advances the BENES Act Along with Other Medicare Improvements
Read moreIn late June, the House Ways & Means Committee advanced the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Act along with several other bills for Medicare improvements. The BENES Act is now part of a much larger bipartisan package of bills referred to as the Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization (BETTER) Act of...
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Are You Part of This Year’s Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey? Learn How to Verify Your Participation & Prevent Fraud
Read moreUsually we tell people that Medicare will neither call you nor show up at your door. If either of these things happen, it’s a red flag for fraud. Yet, just like most things, there is an exception. Each year the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) adds about 12,000 beneficiaries to the sample. They...
Bipartisan BENES Act Would Simplify Medicare Part B Enrollment
Read moreFor many people nearing Medicare eligibility, the question about whether or not to sign up for Medicare Part B is confusing and has significant financial and health coverage access consequences for getting it “wrong”. Those who are already receiving Social Security benefits at 65 years of age, don’t need to worry as they will...
Medicare Part B Fairness Act Would Relieve Part B Penalties
Read moreEarlier this year, Representatives Katie Hill (D-CA-25) and Brian Babin (R-TX-36) introduced the Medicare Part B Fairness Act (H.R. 1788). This bill would limit the amount and duration of the Medicare Part B late enrollment penalty and expand the Special Enrollment Period to people with other forms of pre-Medicare insurance (such as COBRA and...
Do You Work with Older Immigrants? Learn How They Can Qualify for Medicare
Read moreMedicare, the federal health care program for people 65 and older and those younger than 65 with a disability, can be confusing to navigate. This is true whether you’re an older adult, a son or daughter helping your parents or other loved ones with their Medicare coverage, or you’re an advocate working in the...
Medicare at 50 Act Would Provide Medicare Opt-In for People Age 50-64
Read moreToday the U.S. GPO posted the text of S. 470, the “Medicare at 50 Act” introduced on February 13, 2019, by Senator Stabenow (D-MI) and cosponsored by 19 other Democrat Senators. The bill establishes a Medicare “Buy-In“ option for individuals age 50 to 64, and provides for Medigap “guaranteed issue” upon first enrollment and...
The Benefits & “How To” of Creating an Oral Health Benefit in Medicare
Read moreDid you know that over 50% of older adults don’t have access to oral health care? This is the case despite the fact that one in five older adults have untreated tooth decay and 70% have gum disease. The numbers are even higher among older adults of color, those with low-incomes and/or less education,...
Senate Bill Introduced to Include Dental Benefit as Part of Medicare Part B
Read moreIn early January, Senator Cardin (D-MD) introduced the Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2019 (S. 22) which would add a comprehensive oral care benefit to the Medicare program. It would repeal a current mandate that prohibits Medicare coverage for such services, and would embed this oral health care benefit into Medicare Part B. Comprehensive...
CHA Supports S. 3679, the READI for Disasters Act
Read moreAs a member of the California Collaborative for Long Term Services and Supports (CCLTSS), CHA and 36 other advocacy organizations submitted this letter to our California Senators in support of S. 3679, the Readiness for Elders and Americans with Disabilities Inclusion (READI) for Disasters Act. This act would establish a National Commission on Disability...
Medicare’s Open Enrollment Ends Friday, Dec 7 ~ Now’s the Time to Make Your Coverage Choices for 2019
Read moreHave you made your health care coverage choices for 2019? If so, great! If not, now is the time, as Medicare’s open enrollment ends this Friday, December 7. Each year this open enrollment period, also known as the Annual Election Period (AEP) is from October 15 – December 7. It’s a time where you...