Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2477, the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act, or the BENES Act. This important bipartisan legislation will improve education and outreach to Americans approaching Medicare age while simplifying the part B enrollment process, which hasn't been updated in over 50 years. Currently, Medicare enrollment is often too complicated and confusing, and in the event of a mistake, very costly. The consequences of making a simple mistake in the enrollment process can be significant, with a lifetime late enrollment penalty of 10 percent for every year a beneficiary hasn't enrolled in part B. According to a Congressional Research Service report, last year, approximately 764,000 part B enrollees paid an average penalty of nearly 30 percent higher Medicare premiums. That is a superheavy financial burden these Medicare beneficiaries will carry throughout their retirement. That is what the BENES Act aims to help seniors avoid. This vital bill will help prevent late enrollment penalties by sending an advance notice about the Medicare enrollment process to Americans approaching Medicare eligibility. It will also prevent gaps in coverage by requiring that part B coverage begin during the first month after an individual enrolls through either the initial enrollment period or general enrollment period.…”