Expanding Health Care Coverage

By

The Medicare Rights Center

Funding Area

Expanding Health Care Coverage

Date

February 1, 2011

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This Medicare Rights Center report examines New York State’s efforts to help people with limited incomes who are eligible for—but cannot afford—Medicare to enroll in the program through the State’s Part A buy-in benefit.

After first identifying systemic barriers to enrollment, the report suggests steps to improve the enrollment process, including screening for Part A buy-in no matter where people apply; improving data-sharing among multiple government computer systems; and thorough training of frontline workers, who sometimes turn away eligible applicants simply because they are not aware of the buy-in benefit.