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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.

How Medicaid Per Capita Caps Would Affect Low-Income People with Medicare

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently released an issue brief highlighting what a Medicaid per capita cap could mean for people with Medicare who have low incomes. Through the American Health Care Act, some policymakers propose capping what the federal government pays for Medicaid benefits—effectively undermining the program’s basic promise and guarantee.

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State-Specific Fact Sheets Show How the American Health Care Act Harms Older Adults

With renewed interest by the White House and some members of Congress to bring the American Health Care Act back for a vote, advocates are working to inform people nationwide about the harmful effects of the proposed legislation.

The American Health Care Act would leave many older adults without health coverage, making it harder for them to afford the care they need. The Medicare Rights Center, along with Community Catalyst, AFSCME, and seven other organizations, compiled fact sheets to be used in states across the country. The fact sheets include useful information about what passage of the American Health Care Act mean for family members, friends, and neighbors in local communities.

Read More »

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll Finds Increased Support for Affordable Care Act; Skepticism about the American Health Care Act and the President’s Campaign Promises

A new Kaiser Health Tracking Poll released this week shows that about two-thirds (64 percent) of the public say that it is a “good thing” that the American Health Care Act did not pass. More than half (52 percent) of the public said that they are “relieved” that the bill did not pass, reflecting concern about the impact that the American Health Care Act would have had on people’s access to quality health insurance. In the same vein, more people said the bill did not pass because it went “too far” in cutting benefits than said it failed because it did not go far enough.

Read More »

The White House and House Leadership Look for New Ways to Repeal the Affordable Care Act

Last month, Congressional Republicans pulled a scheduled vote on a plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that would have ended Medicaid as we know it and would have led 24 million Americans to lose their health care coverage. That bill, the American Health Care Act, also included an unaffordable “age tax” on health insurance for older adults and undermined the Medicare guarantee.

Read More »

The President’s Budget Would Dramatically Cut Funding for Medicare Counseling

This week, the President sent a more detailed supplement to his 2017 budget to Congressional appropriators that proposes dramatic cuts to the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs). SHIPs provide one-on-one in-person counseling to help people with Medicare understand their rights and navigate their coverage options. The President’s proposal would almost completely eliminate federal funding for this essential program.

Read More »

House Leaders Back Away from the American Health Care Act—Fail to Bring Bill Up for a Vote

Last week, on the seventh anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives planned to hold a vote on legislation to repeal the ACA and affect the health care of tens of millions of Americans. Called the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the proposed law would have erased health coverage for 24 million people, according to Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates.

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.

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 »

How Medicaid Per Capita Caps Would Affect Low-Income People with Medicare

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently released an issue brief highlighting what a Medicaid per capita cap could mean for people with Medicare who have low incomes. Through the American Health Care Act, some policymakers propose capping what the federal government pays for Medicaid benefits—effectively undermining the program’s basic promise and guarantee.

State-Specific Fact Sheets Show How the American Health Care Act Harms Older Adults

With renewed interest by the White House and some members of Congress to bring the American Health Care Act back for a vote, advocates are working to inform people nationwide about the harmful effects of the proposed legislation.

The American Health Care Act would leave many older adults without health coverage, making it harder for them to afford the care they need. The Medicare Rights Center, along with Community Catalyst, AFSCME, and seven other organizations, compiled fact sheets to be used in states across the country. The fact sheets include useful information about what passage of the American Health Care Act mean for family members, friends, and neighbors in local communities.

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll Finds Increased Support for Affordable Care Act; Skepticism about the American Health Care Act and the President’s Campaign Promises

A new Kaiser Health Tracking Poll released this week shows that about two-thirds (64 percent) of the public say that it is a “good thing” that the American Health Care Act did not pass. More than half (52 percent) of the public said that they are “relieved” that the bill did not pass, reflecting concern about the impact that the American Health Care Act would have had on people’s access to quality health insurance. In the same vein, more people said the bill did not pass because it went “too far” in cutting benefits than said it failed because it did not go far enough.

The White House and House Leadership Look for New Ways to Repeal the Affordable Care Act

Last month, Congressional Republicans pulled a scheduled vote on a plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that would have ended Medicaid as we know it and would have led 24 million Americans to lose their health care coverage. That bill, the American Health Care Act, also included an unaffordable “age tax” on health insurance for older adults and undermined the Medicare guarantee.

The President’s Budget Would Dramatically Cut Funding for Medicare Counseling

This week, the President sent a more detailed supplement to his 2017 budget to Congressional appropriators that proposes dramatic cuts to the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs). SHIPs provide one-on-one in-person counseling to help people with Medicare understand their rights and navigate their coverage options. The President’s proposal would almost completely eliminate federal funding for this essential program.

House Leaders Back Away from the American Health Care Act—Fail to Bring Bill Up for a Vote

Last week, on the seventh anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives planned to hold a vote on legislation to repeal the ACA and affect the health care of tens of millions of Americans. Called the American Health Care Act (AHCA), the proposed law would have erased health coverage for 24 million people, according to Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates.

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.