CMS Proposes Updates to Reduce Barriers to Coverage, Simplify Medicare Enrollment and Expand Access

Proposed rule would create Special Enrollment Periods, reduce gaps in Medicare coverage and improve administration of the Medicare Savings Programs.

Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to update Medicare enrollment and eligibility rules that would expand coverage for people with Medicare and advance health equity. This proposed rule would provide Medicare coverage the month immediately after enrollment, thereby reducing the uninsured period and expand access through Medicare special enrollment periods (SEPs). It would also allow eligible beneficiaries to receive Medicare Part B coverage without a late enrollment penalty. This proposed rule would make it easier for people to enroll in Medicare and eliminate delays in coverage.

“Health care is not just about mending bones or dispensing pills. It’s about giving people peace of mind that comes with having coverage when you need it,” said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “That’s why we’re proposing this rule today to help reduce delays, eliminate gaps, and expand access to care for people with Medicare. The Biden-Harris Administration will continue to strengthen Medicare and ensure our older Americans and individuals living with disabilities or End Stage Renal Disease get the affordable, quality health care they deserve.”

• View a fact sheet on the proposed rule.
• Read the proposed rule.