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Patient advocacy groups push to eliminate two-year-wait for disabled to receive Medicare benefits
WASHINGTON, DC – The Coalition to End the Two-Year Wait for Medicare, a group of more than 120 patient advocacy organizations, has issued a press release supporting bills to eliminate the waiting period.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-NM, and Representative Gene Green, D-TX, just introduced the bills in the Senate and House to eliminate the two-year delay in coverage for people with severe disabilities who qualify for Medicare coverage.
“Nearly 40 percent of people with disabilities are without health insurance coverage at some point during their wait for Medicare; 24 percent have no health insurance during this entire period. Many cannot afford to pay COBRA premiums to maintain coverage from their former employer, and private coverage on the individual market is unavailable or too expensive for this high-cost population,” the Coalition wrote.
