Published by: Medicare Rights Center
Led by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Todd Young (R-IN), this important bill would require the federal government to provide advance notice to people approaching Medicare eligibility about basic enrollment rules, filling a longstanding gap in outreach and education.
While most older adults and people with disabilities are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part B, a growing number are not. These individuals must make an active enrollment choice, taking into consideration specific timelines, complex Medicare rules, and their existing coverage.
Far too many people make mistakes when trying to navigate this confusing system. The consequences of such missteps are significant and may include lifetime financial penalties, higher out-of-pocket healthcare costs, and gaps in coverage. In 2021, an estimated 779,400 people were paying a Part B Late Enrollment Penalty (LEP). The average amount increased their monthly premium by nearly a third (27%).
The BENES 2.0 Act would help prevent these costly errors by empowering informed enrollment and coverage choices. In so doing, it would advance the goals of the original BENES Act. Fully implemented this year, the BENES Act modernized transitions to Medicare by eliminating lengthy waits for coverage and updating Special Enrollment Period (SEP) flexibilities. The BENES 2.0 Act would build upon those successes to further improve enrollee health, well-being, and economic security.