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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.

5 Things You Can Do to Protect Our Care

What lies ahead for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is uncertain. But one thing is clear—Congress is setting the stage to make fundamental changes to how people receive their care. Our offices in Washington D.C. and New York City are hearing from people all over the country who are apprehensive about what’s to come. Some are concerned their family members won’t have any health insurance if the ACA is repealed. Others are wondering if they will have to pay even more for their Medicare. And some are sick with worry that the already too-high price of their prescription drugs will go up even more.

No matter the worry, we keep hearing the same question: What can I do? Here are five things you can do to protect our care.

Read More »

Congress Lays Groundwork to Dismantle the Affordable Care Act

This week, Congressional Republicans introduced a budget resolution laying the groundwork for repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—with no replacement in sight. This process uses a set of rules called “reconciliation.” Through budget reconciliation, the majority party in Congress can advance policies through a simple majority vote. But only provisions that are budget related are permitted to be included.

Read More »

Call Your Representative Today and Tell Them to Protect Our Health Care

In January, when a new administration moves into the White House and a new Congress is gaveled into session, some lawmakers expect to radically change our health care system. The President-elect and some members of Congress have signaled their intentions to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (with no meaningful replacement), make drastic cuts to Medicaid, and alter the Medicare guarantee.

Read More »

New Kaiser Family Foundation Report Shows Impact of ACA Repeal on Medicare

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently released a new report on the effects repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could have on Medicare, both for federal spending and for beneficiaries.

KFF identifies several key provisions in the ACA that have a direct impact on Medicare. These provisions include improvements to Medicare benefits, reductions to health care provider and Medicare Advantage (MA) plan payments, increased revenues for the Medicare Trust Fund, incentives to reform the way care is paid for and delivered, and more.

Read More »

Paying More for Less: Affordable Care Act Repeal

Together with Medicare and Medicaid, the ACA builds health security for people of all ages. To repeal the ACA and delay a meaningful replacement would force families across the country to pay more for less. Our latest issue brief, “Paying More for Less: Affordable Care Act Repeal,” highlights the harmful consequences of repealing the ACA without an immediate replacement for people with Medicare and for many who are just shy of Medicare eligibility.

Read More »

What the New Administration Can Do to Keep Medicare Great

This week, the Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) addressed its top administrative policy priorities in letters to President-elect Trump and Congressional leadership. 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 policy initiatives.

Read More »

New Brief Finds 30 Million Would Lose Coverage under Past ACA Repeal Plan

This week, the Urban Institute (the Institute) released a brief discussing the impact of enacting the same partial repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advanced by Congressional Republicans in 2016. This repeal (H.R. 3762), using the legislative reconciliation tool, was vetoed by President Obama, but it is widely believed that President-Elect Trump would be likely to sign an identical bill.

Read More »

Read the Real Story. Medicare Is Not Going Broke.

A recent blog post on the Center on Budget Policy Priorities (CBPP) addresses a common falsehood repeated by some lawmakers about the financial footing of Medicare. Unfortunately, some members of Congress continue to claim that Medicare won’t be there for future generations because it’s going bankrupt. According to CBPP, this falsehood has been debunked before—Medicare is not running out of money.

Read More »

Medicare Rights Joins the National Coalition on Health Care

The Medicare Rights Center is proud to announce its recent membership on the National Coalition for Health Care (NCHC). NCHC is a national, nonprofit organization with a coalition membership of over 80 organizations representing medical societies, businesses, health care providers, insurers, patient and consumer advocates, and more. Collectively, the coalition represents more than 100 million Americans.

Read More »

Medicare Rights Comments on 2018 Medicare Plan Star Ratings

This week, the Medicare Rights Center submitted a response to a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) request for comment on Enhancements to the Star Ratings for 2018 and Beyond in advance of the draft 2018 Call Letter. The proposed changes are intended to tweak the measures and methodology of the star rating system to better capture performance, including changes to the way audit and enforcement actions affect star rating results.

Read More »

5 Things You Can Do to Protect Our Care

What lies ahead for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is uncertain. But one thing is clear—Congress is setting the stage to make fundamental changes to how people receive their care. Our offices in Washington D.C. and New York City are hearing from people all over the country who are apprehensive about what’s to come. Some are concerned their family members won’t have any health insurance if the ACA is repealed. Others are wondering if they will have to pay even more for their Medicare. And some are sick with worry that the already too-high price of their prescription drugs will go up even more.

No matter the worry, we keep hearing the same question: What can I do? Here are five things you can do to protect our care.

Congress Lays Groundwork to Dismantle the Affordable Care Act

This week, Congressional Republicans introduced a budget resolution laying the groundwork for repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—with no replacement in sight. This process uses a set of rules called “reconciliation.” Through budget reconciliation, the majority party in Congress can advance policies through a simple majority vote. But only provisions that are budget related are permitted to be included.

Call Your Representative Today and Tell Them to Protect Our Health Care

In January, when a new administration moves into the White House and a new Congress is gaveled into session, some lawmakers expect to radically change our health care system. The President-elect and some members of Congress have signaled their intentions to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (with no meaningful replacement), make drastic cuts to Medicaid, and alter the Medicare guarantee.

New Kaiser Family Foundation Report Shows Impact of ACA Repeal on Medicare

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) recently released a new report on the effects repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could have on Medicare, both for federal spending and for beneficiaries.

KFF identifies several key provisions in the ACA that have a direct impact on Medicare. These provisions include improvements to Medicare benefits, reductions to health care provider and Medicare Advantage (MA) plan payments, increased revenues for the Medicare Trust Fund, incentives to reform the way care is paid for and delivered, and more.

Paying More for Less: Affordable Care Act Repeal

Together with Medicare and Medicaid, the ACA builds health security for people of all ages. To repeal the ACA and delay a meaningful replacement would force families across the country to pay more for less. Our latest issue brief, “Paying More for Less: Affordable Care Act Repeal,” highlights the harmful consequences of repealing the ACA without an immediate replacement for people with Medicare and for many who are just shy of Medicare eligibility.

What the New Administration Can Do to Keep Medicare Great

This week, the Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) addressed its top administrative policy priorities in letters to President-elect Trump and Congressional leadership. 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 policy initiatives.

New Brief Finds 30 Million Would Lose Coverage under Past ACA Repeal Plan

This week, the Urban Institute (the Institute) released a brief discussing the impact of enacting the same partial repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advanced by Congressional Republicans in 2016. This repeal (H.R. 3762), using the legislative reconciliation tool, was vetoed by President Obama, but it is widely believed that President-Elect Trump would be likely to sign an identical bill.

Read the Real Story. Medicare Is Not Going Broke.

A recent blog post on the Center on Budget Policy Priorities (CBPP) addresses a common falsehood repeated by some lawmakers about the financial footing of Medicare. Unfortunately, some members of Congress continue to claim that Medicare won’t be there for future generations because it’s going bankrupt. According to CBPP, this falsehood has been debunked before—Medicare is not running out of money.

Medicare Rights Joins the National Coalition on Health Care

The Medicare Rights Center is proud to announce its recent membership on the National Coalition for Health Care (NCHC). NCHC is a national, nonprofit organization with a coalition membership of over 80 organizations representing medical societies, businesses, health care providers, insurers, patient and consumer advocates, and more. Collectively, the coalition represents more than 100 million Americans.

Medicare Rights Comments on 2018 Medicare Plan Star Ratings

This week, the Medicare Rights Center submitted a response to a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) request for comment on Enhancements to the Star Ratings for 2018 and Beyond in advance of the draft 2018 Call Letter. The proposed changes are intended to tweak the measures and methodology of the star rating system to better capture performance, including changes to the way audit and enforcement actions affect star rating results.