Last month, Medicare beneficiaries and the skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) who provide care to these individuals most in need, scored a big win in court. Under Medicare law, patients cannot appeal a hospital’s decision to change their status from an inpatient to an outpatient receiving observation services. As a result, Medicare beneficiaries are responsible for paying for the SNF stay, which places an unfair burden on beneficiaries through no fault of their own.

In Barrows v. Becerra, the Court of Appeals affirmed the District Court and ruled that Medicare beneficiaries whose status in the hospital is changed from inpatient to outpatient have the right to a hearing to challenge the change. This is a big step forward in helping to ensure Medicare beneficiaries are not denied their needed SNF benefit.

As we celebrate Black History Month and pay tribute to generations of African Americans who have struggled with adversity all their lives, it’s the perfect time to highlight how important Social Security is to the African American community.

Social Security’s guaranteed insurance benefits are especially crucial to people of color who tend to have fewer alternative resources, become disabled at higher rates and disproportionately rely on Social Security’s family benefit features. Black American workers more than most other Americans are concentrated in low-wage jobs that typically lack pension coverage, experience higher poverty and unemployment rates, and have less ability to save and invest for retirement. Social Security, therefore, provides many elderly Black Americans with their sole or primary source of income in retirement. Consequently, preserving and strengthening the current system with its guaranteed benefits is crucial for Black Americans.

Our resident Social Security expert, Webster Phillips — a Senior Policy Analyst for the National Committee and a 31-year veteran at the Social Security Administration — is here to answer your questions about Social Security.

You can either search our archives for valuable advice on a broad range of concerns or submit your question here.

This week's question is: Is there a way to figure Social Security benefits if one doesn’t work until “normal” retirement age? My wife and I have records of all our contributions, but given our desire to quit our main jobs at 55 — and earn a fraction of our current earnings after age 55 — I have found no good way to calculate our potential benefit at either 62 or 65.

Click here to read the answer.

In the last issue of Benefits Watch we asked our readers the following question:

Should the Biden Administration take immediate action to reduce the historically high Medicare Part B monthly premium — which rose 14.5% in 2022 and is taking a large chunk out of the 5.9% Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment?

The results from our recent poll are fascinating, but they’re only available to National Committee members! Join the National Committee today and we’ll immediately give you the results of this important poll.

NCPSSM President Max Richtman discusses what he sees as the current priorities and threats to the Social Security and Medicare programs, including legislation that should be passed in Congress to improve earned benefits in meaningful ways. (January 31, 2022, Forbes, Radio Interview with NCPSSM President & CEO Max Richtman)

Listen Here →

SSA is allowing drop boxes at its closed field offices to accept sensitive documents and forms for more hours as it eases toward opening some facilities. (January 29, 2022, The Washington Post, Lisa Rein)

Read More →

A three-judge federal appeals court panel in Connecticut has likely ended an 11-year fight against a frustrating and confusing rule that left hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries without coverage for nursing home care, and no way to challenge a denial. (January 28, 2022, Fierce Healthcare, Susan Jaffe)

Read More →

Medicare will start paying for home Covid-19 tests purchased at participating pharmacies and retailers, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told CNN on Wednesday. It anticipates the option will be available in the early spring. (February 3, 2022, CNN, Tami Luhby)

Read More →

Enrolling in Medicare doesn’t eliminate the burden of medical expenses for some, according to a new study led by Jeanne Madden, associate professor of pharmacy and health systems sciences at Northeastern. (February 10, 2022, Reuters, Carl O’donnell)

Read More →