Medicare Rights Center

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page. It needs additional references or sources for verification. Tagged since September 2008. Its tone or style may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. Tagged since September 2008. It may need to be wikified to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Tagged since September 2008. It reads like a news release, or is otherwise written in an overly promotional tone. Tagged since September 2008.

The Medicare Rights Center is a national, 501(c)(3) nonprofit consumer service organization. Founded in 1989, the Medicare Rights Center works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs and public policy initiatives.^[1] Offices are located in New York City and Washington, D.C. Through phone hotlines, internet services, Medicare Interactive,^[2] large volunteer network and community programs Medicare Rights Center provides services to people in all states.^[3]

The Medicare Rights Center is supported by private foundations and public contracts as well as unrestricted contributions from corporations and individuals.^[4]

Contents 1 Services 1.1 Medicare and Medicaid Assistance Project (MMAP) 1.2 Seniors Out Speaking on Medicare 1.3 Hotline counseling 1.4 Newsletters 2 Public policy 3 Consumer advocacy 4 See also 5 Notes 6 External links

[edit] Services

Through various programs and services the Medicare Rights Center provides assistance to people in New York and throughout the United States.

[edit] Medicare and Medicaid Assistance Project (MMAP)

In New York City, the Medicare Rights Center provides weekly personal counseling services at senior centers.

[edit] Seniors Out Speaking on Medicare

In Westchester County, New York, the Seniors Out Speaking on Medicare (SOS Medicare) program trains and mobilizes volunteers to educate their peers about Medicare issues in their own communities. Volunteers visit senior centers, religious institutions, public housing projects, clubs and other sites throughout Westchester to speak about health care topics.

[edit] Hotline counseling

Through national telephone hotline, the Medicare Rights Center provides direct assistance. Counselors respond to questions on a variety of Medicare related issues including questions about financial assistance and appealing a denial by a Medicare Private Health Plan or Medicare Part D Plan.

[edit] Newsletters

The Medicare Rights Center produces four electronic newsletters that provide information on Medicare, health and age-related issues. Among them are Dear Marci, Medicare Watch, The Medicare Counselor, and Asclepios.

[edit] Public policy

Public policy initiatives address Medicare consumer issues and concerns on both the state and national levels.^[5] The Medicare Rights Center testifies before Congress, advocates for revisions to Medicare regulations and holds the performance of Medicare private health and drug plans up to public scrutiny.

[edit] Consumer advocacy

The Medicare Rights Center works with policymakers and the media to promote public understanding of health care issues facing older and disabled Americans.^[6] Medicare Rights Center also fields press inquiries on Medicare issues.

[edit] See also

• Health advocacy
• Single-payer health care

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• http://www.medicarerights.org
• http://www.MedicareInteractive.org
• Profile on GuideStar
• Profile on VolunteerMatch
• Profile on healthfinder.gov
• Profile on Do Good™ Channel
• Profile on Idealist.org