What are the changes and updates to Medicare and how can they affect you?
The federal government has announced changes to Medicare in 2025. Here are the main updates for next year and how they may affect beneficiaries.
The United States has two main public health insurance plans: Medicare and Medicaid. Through the first, coverage is offered to adults over 65 years of age, young people with disabilities and patients with permanent kidney failure.
Coverage is divided into four parts that range from medical appointments and illnesses to accidents. These parts are A, B, C and D. Part A covers hospital services, while Part B is intended for services outside the hospital. Part C expands coverage of A and B, and D covers prescription drugs. According to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), more than 65 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare.
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CMS announces improvements for 2025: This is how they will affect beneficiaries
With the goal of protecting beneficiaries and promoting fair competition, CMS has unveiled new improvements for next year. According to the federal agency, one of the main updates to be implemented is establishing limits on commissions paid to insurance agents. With this policy, they hope to prevent the prioritization of the sale of plans over the needs of users.
CMS will also implement stricter rules to protect beneficiaries’ personal data and prevent intrusive marketing practices, including “cold calling.” This is used to promote Medicare Advantage plans and Part D from competing insurance companies that do not contribute to the benefits of policyholders.
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CMS will also expand access to behavioral health services, opening a new category called “Outpatient Behavioral Health.”
Additionally, for beneficiaries to get the most out of their insurance, companies will be required to report unused benefits mid-year. In this way, the beneficiary may be aware of what they paid for but did not use.
Finally, new standards will be established for supplemental benefits for patients with chronic diseases. This is intended for companies to demonstrate how their benefits have positively impacted the lives of their patients. All updates will take effect during the next Annual Enrollment Period.