1989
The Medicare Rights Center was founded as "The Medicare Beneficiaries Defense Fund" to protect people with Medicare from being overcharged by their providers.
A Campaign for the Future of Medicare
Celebrating 35 years of making Medicare more accessible, affordable, and equitable
The Medicare Rights Center is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, and your donation is tax deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Please keep your receipt as your official record. We'll email it to you upon successful completion of your donation.
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We are launching a special 35th anniversary campaign to invest in programs that will help today's 66+ million Medicare beneficiaries—and many millions more in the years ahead—live with the dignity, respect, and peace of mind they deserve.
After 35 years, the Medicare Rights Center is one of the remaining sources of independent and unbiased Medicare information for people with Medicare, their families, and the professionals who assist them.
We assist millions of people each year through our free national helpline and online resource, Medicare Interactive. Our direct experience with clients translates into policy advocacy to improve Medicare for every single beneficiary.
We are driven by our unwavering commitment to ensure that older adults, people with disabilities, and their families can access and afford quality health care. Our efforts are motivated by a shared vision of a strong, equitable Medicare program that can continue to serve our communities for generations to come.
Your investment will help us secure millions of dollars in health care and prescription drug savings for our clients, protect and expand our federal advocacy, and double our capacity to reach people with Medicare throughout the United States with independent, unbiased Medicare information. As we approach this special anniversary, we are focused on building for the future.
Fred Riccardi
President
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Please support Medicare Rights by helping us raise $3 million over the next three years. Your ongoing support will help us:
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Our Work
The Medicare Rights Center proudly engages staff and volunteers comprised of attorneys, social workers, public health experts, and others committed to combatting persistent inequities in health care access and ensuring economic security for vulnerable populations.
Together, we work to:
Years of Growth and Impact
1996
The organization took on a new look and became the Medicare Rights Center.
2001
Seniors Out Speaking (SOS) began in Westchester, NY. This peer-to-peer educational program empowers older adults to navigate the health care system. SOS eventually expanded nationally to become what is now called Medicare Minute, reaching hundreds of thousands of people around the country.
2002
Medicare Rights launched the New York State Medicare Savings Coalition to eliminate the systemic barriers that limit access to Medicare Savings Programs.
2003
Medicare Interactive was created with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and others. Today, millions of people get Medicare information and support on Medicare Interactive.
2009
With a historic joint grant of $1 million from the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Medicare Rights partnered with the Food Bank for New York City to enroll as many New Yorkers as possible in low-income benefits. The two-year project resulted in a value of $18.5 million in benefits for clients.
2010
Medicare Rights led the charge to increase eligibility for and expand enrollment in various low-income Medicare programs, including Medicare Savings Programs and the Extra Help subsidy of the Part D drug benefit. Medicare Rights' advocacy catalyzed the elimination of the asset test for these programs in New York State and inspired advocates nationally to work to increase access to benefits for people with Medicare.
2013
Medicare Rights released its first annual Helpline Trends Report, documenting the key issues it sees on its national helpline and tying them to various state and national policy solutions.
2014
Medicare Rights' online curriculum, Medicare Interactive Pro, expanded the organization's ability to reach professionals with unbiased training and became the official training and certification for State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselors in all 50 states.
2020
Medicare Rights rapidly transitioned to remote work so that its services continued uninterrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling it to nimbly advocate for increased access to telehealth services, vaccines, and testing. The organization redoubled its efforts to eliminate health disparities and joined the nationwide movement for health equity and racial justice.
2021
Congress updated federal Medicare rules for the first time in 50+ years to end lengthy waits for coverage and expand critical enrollment flexibilities long championed by Medicare Rights.
2022
Medicare Rights celebrated the passage of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included policies the organization has long championed to make health care and prescription drugs more affordable.
2023
Working with the New York state legislature and state agencies, Medicare Rights successfully advocated for expanding eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs, making 300,000 additional state residents eligible for the cost assistance benefits. This critical program saves low-income individuals thousands of dollars yearly on health care costs.
2024
Medicare Rights expands its critical services to include additional programming focused on access to care for the dually eligible population, access to behavioral health care, enrollment in cost assistance benefits, national Medicare Minute outreach, and technical assistance to counselors nationwide.