House Republican Reconciliation Bill Targets People with Medicare
The House-passed reconciliation bill takes direct aim at Medicare in several ways, including by delaying recent final rules that streamline access to the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) for low-income older adults and people with disabilities.
Medicaid Helps People Afford Medicare, Other Necessary Expenses
The MSPs are Medicaid benefits that help people with Medicare who have limited income and savings afford their Part B premiums ($185.00 per month in 2025). These Medicare-Medicaid enrollees automatically get the Part D Low Income Subsidy (LIS)/Extra Help, which helps pay their out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, saving them an average of $6,200 per year. Combined, these programs make health care costs more manageable, allowing enrollees to maintain Medicare coverage, afford medications, and better meet daily living expenses like food and housing.
House Reconciliation Bill Threatens Access to MSPs, Extra Help
Despite these successes, MSPs and Extra Help have long been under-enrolled. This may be due to lack of information about the programs and how to sign up, as well as difficulty navigating an enrollment process that is notoriously complex. Recognizing these challenges, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued rules easing administrative burdens. The House reconciliation bill would pause these modernizations—blocking beneficiary access in order to save federal dollars.
https://www.medicarerights.org/medicare-watch/2025/05/29/house-republican-reconciliation-bill-targets-people-with-medicare
= new reply since forum marked as read
