A few months ago, the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Act was signed into law. It eliminates the long waiting period, sometimes up to 7 months, for coverage for certain enrollees. Beginning in 2023, coverage for Medicare will be in the month after the participant enrolls.
A few weeks ago, a group of Democrats reintroduced legislation in the Senate to lower the age from 65 to 50 in order to qualify for Medicare benefits. If passed, this would mean millions more Americans would become eligible for Medicare. Proponents of the legislation contend that getting folks on Medicare could save lives and provide much-needed care. They point to the fact that many people don’t have access to private insurance, and so care is delayed. That becomes both financially and physically costly down the road. Opponents, of course, point out the financial strain it would cause on the federal budget. Some also claim that this expanded healthcare might allow more folks to retire at a younger age, putting a strain on the workforce. Hospitals oppose the legislation, as Medicare reimbursement rates are much lower than what the hospital would receive from private insurance plans.
Recent news in the Medicaid world is that work requirements have become all but extinct. Former President Trump made it clear under his presidency that he supported Medicaid work requirements. Meaning, Medicaid recipients would be required to work, look for work, or participate in volunteer work each month. If the requirement wasn’t met, Medicaid coverage would be lost. There were several exceptions to the rule, such as for pregnant women, full-time students, primary caregivers to dependents, the elderly, and the disabled.
Several states submitted Medicaid waivers to implement Medicaid work requirements, and some were approved. Arkansas was the first state to implement such a work requirement policy. They had their program in place for about a year before a federal judge halted it. While litigation was pending, President Biden was elected. He has made it clear that his administration does not support Medicaid work requirements, and so those will not be implemented by states going forward.
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