Access to behavioral health care is a significant, ongoing challenge for many people with Medicare. Swift legislative action is needed to address this, in ways that strengthen coverage and modernize services. Several of the bills to be considered at the September 21, 2022 Markup of Worker and Family Support and Health Legislation would advance these goals.
Letter to the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committee leaders urging them to take action to improve Medicare coverage for people with substance use disorder and mental health needs.
This letter expresses Medicare Rights’ strong and unified support for including a robust investment in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) in the next legislative package.
In a letter to CMS, the Medicare Rights Center and other leading beneficiary advocacy groups share concerns about the Medicare-related impacts of unwinding of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) and outline administrative solutions.
Medicare Rights joined over 90 groups to urge US Senators to pass drug pricing reforms through reconciliation.
Join letter to the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from 67 advocacy organizations urging better Medicare coverage of COVID-19 services, including at-home testing.
Medicare Rights and other leading beneficiary advocate groups urged the Administration and Congress to keep improvements to the Medicare program central in ongoing discussions about creating a more equitable and affordable health care and prescription drug system.
Medicare Rights joined over 150 leading advocacy organizations in calling on Congress to fully fund the $400 billion investment in Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) requested by the Administration. This level of investment is essential for building a sustainable HCBS infrastructure system that can begin to address the magnitude of need in communities across the country, by both increasing access to Medicaid HCBS and addressing the direct care workforce crisis.
In a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting Secretary Norris Cochran, two leading Medicare beneficiary advocacy organizations, the Medicare Rights Center and the Center for Medicare Advocacy, urge the Biden Administration to take swift action to strengthen Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. As outlined in the letter, matters requiring immediate attention include simplifying Medicare transitions during the COVID-19 public health emergency, enhancing Medicare outreach and enrollment strategies, and increasing regulatory review efforts. Looming deadlines and unmet needs make these improvements urgent.
The Medicare Rights Center and 49 state and national organizations urge the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to reinstate two policies to help people sign up for Medicare amid the COVID-19 pandemic: a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Part C and Part D and Equitable Relief for Premium Part A and Part B.
