Most people new to Medicare are automatically enrolled because they are receiving Social Security when they become eligible. But a growing number are not and must enroll on their own, taking into consideration specific timelines, intricate rules, and existing coverage. Mistakes are common and carry serious consequences, such as lifelong financial penalties, high out-of-pocket costs, disruptions in care, and gaps in coverage. Yet, few remedies are available to help beneficiaries correct honest missteps.
Medicare is a nearly universal program for people 65 and over, guaranteeing health care for older adults who have paid into the system during their working lives. This ensures that older adults do not have to continue to rely on employer health insurance and can retire at 65 without risking coverage loss. Some policymakers want to delay access to Medicare by raising the eligibility age from 65 to 67 or even 70. This would disproportionately harm people who can least afford it, including people who work in physically demanding jobs and older adults of color.
A core component of Medicare is its universality. Some policy ideas would undermine that promise by limiting benefits to people with lower incomes or requiring higher income enrollees to pay more for their care or coverage.
This report features the top helpline trends and highlights the most commonly sought helpline and Medicare Interactive answers, providing a glimpse into the various questions and needs of Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and the professionals assisting them in the community in 2023.
In 2022, Medicare Rights staff and volunteers addressed more than 27,000 questions through its national helpline and professional email channels. Additionally, Medicare Rights’ free and independent online reference tool, Medicare Interactive (MI), provided more than 2.6 million answers for beneficiaries, their caregivers, and professionals. This report features the top helpline trends and highlights the most commonly sought helpline and Medicare Interactive answers, providing a glimpse into the various questions and needs of Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and the professionals assisting them in the community in 2022.
Medicare enrollment can be a difficult and daunting task. Year after year, among our most frequent helpline calls are from or on behalf of people trying to navigate this confusing system. Missteps are common and have serious repercussions—yet few remedies exist. As part of its Learning Agenda, we encourage the Social Security Administration (SSA) to explore ways to prevent and cure Medicare enrollment errors, including by examining gaps in consumer education, enrollment outreach, and data collection.
While most people newly eligible for Medicare are automatically enrolled in Part B—because they are collecting Social Security retirement benefits at or before age 65—a growing number are working later in life and deferring their Social Security benefits. Unlike those who are auto-enrolled, these individuals must make an active Medicare enrollment choice, taking into consideration specific timelines and existing coverage. If this transition is mismanaged, individuals new to Medicare may face lifetime late enrollment penalties, higher health care costs, gaps in coverage, and disruptions in care continuity.
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.
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.
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