Medicare

NSCLC currently works on issues related to people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.  We also advocate on issues related to Medicare managed care, particularly those that have the most impact on low income older adults, and we seek to ensure that Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D), especially the low-income subsidy, is implemented properly nationwide.  NSCLC also works to improve access to Medicare for people with limited proficiency in English.

Besides our ongoing administrative advocacy with the federal
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and state health agencies, NSCLC works closely with other organizations like the Medicare Rights Center, a national nonprofit that helps people with Medicare understand their rights and benefits, and the Center for Medicare Advocacy which provides counseling, training, presentations and materials on a wide variety of Medicare topics.

• Find reports, briefs and other information related to our work on Dual Eligibles.
• Find recent directives and other information related to the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy.

• CMS Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule to Support Equal Rights for Same Sex Spouses in Medicare and Medicaid Facilities
  (12/17/2014)  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released proposed regulations as part of CMS’ implementation of the Supreme Court decision in United States v. Windsor, 570 U.S. 12, 133 S. Ct. 2675 (2013).  Comments on th...



• New Issue Brief on Appeals in the Dual Demonstrations
  (12/05/2014)  Under the Affordable Care Act, a number of states are participating in financial alignment demonstrations that combine the delivery of Medicare and Medicaid services for dual eligible beneficiaries. Even though financial alignment demons...



• WEBINAR: Medicare Marketing Guidelines and Cal MediConnect
  Free Webinar When: Tuesday, September 23, 2014, 11 AM - 12 PM PDT To prevent marketing abuses, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) has very specific guidelines that Medicare plans must follow when marketing their products These gener...



• Understanding the Duals Special Needs Plan Policy
  In these August Fact Sheets, NSCLC developed county-specific fact sheets that summarize the D-SNP policy and outline for advocates how beneficiaries are impacted depending on the type of Medicare Advantage plan in which a beneficiary is enrolled. T...



• Statement on Medicare Observation Status
  In a statement submitted to the Senate Special Committee on Aging dated August 8, 2014, the National Senior Citizens Center throws its support behind the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2013 (H.R. 1179/S. 569).  The bill would "protect co...



• Health Network Alert – Protecting Medi-Cal Beneficiaries from Balance Billing: Resources for Advocates
  (08/08/2014)  Advocates continue to report attempts by providers, particularly physicians, to ”balance bill” dual eligible beneficiaries (those who qualify for both Medicare and Medi-Cal) for charges not covered by Medicare or Medi-Cal.



• CMS Releases More Windsor Guidance on Medicaid
  July 2014 -- One-year after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in United States v. Windsor, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to release guidance on same-sex marriages and Medicare and Medicaid. CMS recently issued a l...



• WEBINAR: Medicare & Medicaid Post-DOMA: Changes for Same Gender Couples?
  Free Webinar Series A year after the Supreme Court decision in United States v Windsor, federal agencies have been issuing rules that affect same sex couples regarding programs like Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, and Medicaid...



• Observation Status Statement for the Record
  Submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee/Subcommittee on Health (5/20/2014), this statement raises concerns about the impact on medicare beneficiaries of observation status, a practice that deprives many of their right to hospital coverage under...



• WEBINAR: Understanding and Impacting Implementation of New Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Rules
   April 29, 2014 New federal Medicaid rules would, for the first time, set standards that seek to ensure Medicaid HCBS is provided in non-institutional settings, however, many details remain to be determined by individual states. Consumers, advocates ...