The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule on October 28, 2022, to implement several changes in Medicare enrollment and eligibility that were included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA). These changes are designed to minimize gaps in coverage for people who sign up for Medicare and improve access to care by shortening the gap between Medicare enrollment and coverage; creating new Special Enrollment Periods for individuals whose coverage would otherwise be delayed due to challenging circumstances, such as a natural disaster; and extending coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for certain beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who would otherwise lose coverage for these drugs after their kidney transplant.
Click here for more information regarding the four key changes related to Medicare enrollment and eligibility under the final rule, and summarizes the estimated impact of these provisions on coverage and costs. These provisions are expected to reduce gaps in coverage for people when they first sign up for Medicare, and have a negligible impact on Medicare spending, according to CMS estimates.
Please contact your Total Benefit Solutions health insurance specialists with any questions or concerns today at (215)355-2121.