“Core Medicare coverages which exist under current law should not be diminished for current or future beneficiaries,” said Judith Stein, head of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, which provides legal help to beneficiaries. “Until we actually try to negotiate Medicare drug prices, we are spending billions of dollars a year that could be saved for the program.”
In November, CMS exempted nursing homes that violate new patient safety rules from financial penalties for 18 months. In June, it proposed to reverse an Obama administration rule prohibiting clauses in residents’ contracts requiring them to use arbitration to settle disputes rather than go to court.
“The industry sees this administration as a real golden opportunity to get what it wants,” said Toby Edelman, senior policy attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy (CMA), a nonprofit group that
Make no mistake, says Center Executive Director Judith Stein, the tax cuts for corporations and wealthy people that Congress is determined to pass will lead to major cuts to health and economic security for the rest of us.
“In the immediate future you will hear, we cannot afford Medicare, we cannot afford Medicaid, we cannot afford Social Security act," she said. "That’s the second step in this dance.”
“Consumers really need to look beyond the premiums to understand their total out-of-pocket costs,” says David Lipschutz, senior policy attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy, a national nonprofit organization.
To understand the true cost of your plan, add up what you will likely pay in deductibles and copays, which can offset any savings in premiums. Use your benefits statements and medical bills for the past year as a guide.
"[T]here are more choices, but there’s a lot more research and comparison shopping you have to do,” said Sue Greeno , the Center for Medicare Advocacy, a nonprofit based in Connecticut and Washington, D.C. “Medicare’s [online] Plan Finder tool is excellent, but without knowing how to use it, it could be daunting. So we always advise people to go their local [SHINE] office and get unbiased, individualized counseling.”
The Center for Medicare Advocacy recently summarized the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage plans.
When looking to expand access to health care coverage, it’s natural to look to Medicare, the country’s well-tested, flagship health insurance program. But before moving more people into Medicare, it needs to be improved and simplified.
Patients can be hospitalized for days, can undergo exams and tests, can receive drugs — without ever officially being admitted to the hospital. Instead, they’re “under observation,” which means they’re outpatients, not inpatients. That can bring financial hardships — including lack of coverage for subsequent nursing home care.
The Center for Medicare Advocacy has won class certification for a lawsuit demanding that Medicare beneficiaries be allowed to challenge their patient classification as "observational" rather than "admitted" when hospitalized — a distinction that can cost thousands of additional dollars in hospital, medication and nursing home care.
The Center for Medicare Advocacy on Tuesday (Aug.1) announced that Sean Cavanaugh, former Medicare chief under the Obama administration and deputy CMS administrator, has joined their board of directors.
An article from The Citizen, Auburn discusses Outpatient Observation Status. The CMA grant project with The John A. Hartford Foundation is mentioned.