Open Enrollment is right around the Corner

Thanks to actions by the Trump Administration, for the third consecutive year, Americans will enjoy more plan options as well as lower premiums for plans sold on HealthCare.gov. As a result, and with our ongoing efforts, we expect those seeking coverage to have an even better consumer experience using HealthCare.gov during the upcoming Open Enrollment Period (OEP), which runs from November 1, 2020 to December 15, 2020, with coverage beginning on January 1, 2021

Lowering Premiums

With a mild winter and warm spring past us, this year it’s hard to tell where one season ends and another begins. For those of us in CMS’ Division of Training, a sure sign that summer has arrived is a new round of National Medicare Train-the-Trainer Workshops!

Late spring means the annual SHIP conference is on its way—the 18th Annual SHIP Director’s Conference will be held June 4—7 in Atlanta.

On December 19, 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a proposed rule implementing the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, which was included as section 6002 of the Affordable Care Act of 2010.  This provision will provide important transparency in requiring reporting of payments or gifts to physicians, and physician ownership and investment interests.  During the 60 day comment period, CMS received over 300 comments from a wide range of stakeholders.

Did you know that 31% of Hispanics are uninsured, compared to 12% of non-Hispanic whites? Or that less than one-third of African American adults with diabetes receive the recommended services? Or that fewer than 40% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults over 50 have gotten screened for colorectal cancer?