Navigating the complex maze of paperwork and information during Medicare Open Enrollment can feel overwhelming. SHIP counselors offer free, unbiased insurance counseling that can help you or your clients make informed decisions about your health coverage.

"Seniors deserve to eat, to live and to age without fear of hunger. That’s not a privilege; it’s a promise this country once made to its people — a promise that must be kept."

Patricia is 93. Despite recent health problems—a leg infection, fractured back, and broken bones in her arms—she hunts for remote jobs every day from her home in Arkansas. Over 550,000 Americans work into their 80s and beyond, sometimes by choice, but more often because retirement is not an option.

Help your clients make the most of open enrollment by checking whether their current providers remain in-network. (To do so, it’s a good idea to contact the provider directly.) For Medicare Advantage enrollees, using an out-of-network provider could lead to denials or higher out-of-pocket costs.

"We are leveling this bureaucratic red tape on people, the vast majority of whom are already doing the things that we supposedly want them to do."

Medicare open enrollment is particularly important for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans. These plans often adjust their out-of-pocket costs, provider networks, and covered medications each year.

Over 500,000 Californians are enrolled in Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), a type of health plan that coordinates benefits for people who are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid. Join us at our next webinar for a comprehensive overview of these rapidly growing plans.

Public housing authorities (PHAs) can open more doors to formerly incarcerated older adults by narrowing criminal background checks to convictions that impact the safety of other residents.

📢 We're seeking applicants for our 2026 summer fellowships! The positions are full-time, remote, and paid. Applications will be accepted through Friday, 11/14, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Open enrollment season is here. Be sure to ask your low-income patients or clients whether they are paying a Part D premium. If they are or don’t know, urge them to review their options with a SHIP counselor.

Finding an affordable apartment is hard. Finding one at age 80 is even harder. Rent-controlled units often sit in dated or poorly maintained buildings, and for older adults, leaks or steep stairs aren't just inconvenient—they're dangerous.

“It’s dual-pronged. Not only are you contributing to increased homelessness, but you’re also preventing individuals from being able to escape poverty by maintaining that critical asset,” Diamond said. “You’re also punishing people for being poor.”

Finding an affordable apartment is hard. Finding one at age 80 is even harder. Rent-controlled units often sit in dated or poorly maintained buildings, and for older adults, leaks or steep stairs aren't just inconvenient—they're dangerous.

States can target grieving families to repay thousands for Medicaid-covered long-term care. In some cases, these so-called "Medicaid estate recovery" programs even seize the family home—often the only asset left. A devastating read about a little-known practice:

When older adults lose access to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security, there's no backup plan. As @kevinprindiville.bsky.social puts it, "There's no safety net for the safety net."

Dental coverage plays the biggest role in determining whether older adults in long-term care can get the oral health care they need—but it isn’t the only factor. Oversight of nursing facilities, expanded teledentistry, and medical‑dental integration can also help close the oral health equity gap.

Open enrollment is a great time to help your clients review their Medicare plans and uncover potential savings. Programs like "Extra Help," which lowers prescription drug costs, and the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, which covers premiums and out-of-pocket costs, are often underused.

On Tuesday, 10/28, join Justice in Aging for a webinar on how advocates can leverage the Older Americans Act, Social Security, Medicaid, Indian Health Services, and other programs to support tribal elders as they age.

Because traditional Medicare excludes most dental services, oral health coverage is out of reach for millions of older adults. In nursing homes, disparities are even starker: 27% of residents have lost all of their teeth—more than twice the rate of older adults living in the community.

Medicaid estate recovery turns a health care safety net into a ticking time bomb of crushing debt. No other health or public benefits program requires benefits to be repaid.

At 70, Walter Carpenter works two jobs. Half of his earnings goes to rent. Social Security helps cover only the basics. For millions like Walter, the impossible math of rising rents and fixed incomes means retirement is not an option. "You just wonder how long you're going to last."

In many tribal communities, older adults serve as vital cultural stewards and community leaders. Culturally responsive home- and community-based care solutions can both help tribal elders receive necessary care within their communities and strengthen tribal sovereignty.

This week a Medicare beneficiary won a retrospective change of status appeal that granted him coverage of costly hospital services. The appeal was made possible by the Center for Medicare Advocacy’s class action case, litigated with amazing co-counsel @justiceinaging.org & @wilsonsonsini.bsky.social

Older renters in California are facing an unprecedented housing crisis marked by soaring rents and scarce affordable housing. Join us on Wednesday, 10/15, for a timely webinar about how the California Tenant Protection Act can help prevent homelessness and promote housing stability. Register 👇

Navigating Medicare can be challenging for older immigrants who often face barriers due to limited work history, citizenship status, or language. Next year, changes implemented through Trump's megabill will further complicate access and eliminate eligibility for some lawfully present immigrants.

New Census data reveals rising poverty among older adults—over 9 million seniors (15%) live in poverty, with rates higher in communities of color. These aren’t just stats; they’re our parents, grandparents, neighbors, and keepers of our culture, all deserving to age with dignity.

Trump's megabill cuts retroactive Medicaid coverage from three to two months for most enrollees, increasing the likelihood that Americans facing health crises will have difficulty accessing care and end up with overwhelming medical debt.

Public housing authorities can help break the vicious cycle of incarceration and homelessness by building housing policies that are rooted in fairness and equity.

We filed a FOIA request along with @justiceinaging.org, @nilc.org, and @rcusa.bsky.social seeking transparency as the “Big Beautiful Bill” strips thousands of lawfully present immigrants of Medicare, regardless of how long they worked and paid Medicare taxes.

State and local public housing authorities, which manage two of the nation’s largest federal rental assistance programs, can play a crucial role in expanding housing access for formerly incarcerated older adults.

When a Medicaid enrollee who received long-term care dies, states attempt to collect the costs of care from the enrollee's remaining property or savings. Here's how advocates can explain why this policy is harmful:

Join us on Tuesday, 9/16, for a deep dive into recent federal and state policy changes that will impact older Californians' access to Medi-Cal, Medicare, and other vital health care programs. Register: to.justiceinaging.org/K9rgqgC

At this week's @waysmeanscmte.bsky.social hearing, witness Tracey Gronniger of @justiceinaging.org described the effects of Trump's drastic clawback policy- which can withhold up to HALF of one's monthly Social Security payments.

Medi-Cal offers services such as housing navigation and financial assistance to help address the alarming rise in older adult homelessness in California. These "community supports" are a lifeline—but only if older adults have access to them. This is precisely where advocates can make a difference.

Exciting opportunity: The Borchard Foundation is accepting research proposals focused on laws, policies, or programs that enhance the quality of life for older adults. Learn more: www.borchardcla.org

How will the new health care law impact Medicare & Medicaid dually-eligible individuals? 📆 Join us on Tues., 9/7 for a special webinar w/ @justiceinaging.org & @medicarerights.bsky.social for policy insights and more. Save your spot today >> communitycatalyst-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Advocates can effectively inform policymakers and the public about the harms of Medicaid estate recovery by focusing on the loss of family homes and avoiding terminology that can be easily misunderstood. Learn more in our messaging guide:

Until recently, older adults released from jail or prison had to wait for the next enrollment period to apply for Medicare. Now, people leaving custody have a 12-month penalty-free enrollment window to sign up for Medicare.

The growing gap between incomes and rents affects all Americans, but it's seniors—the fastest-growing demographic facing homelessness—who often feel the impact most. Learn about the policies impacting older adults' access to federal housing and homeless assistance programs at our upcoming webinar.

Trump's major spending bill cuts access to health care and food assistance for immigrants, including refugees and asylees who are lawfully present and have paid taxes in the U.S. for years.

“Just as generations before us fought for a guarantee of healthcare and economic security, delivering us Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and the Americans With Disabilities Act, now it’s our turn.” Words by me for @thenation.com www.thenation.com/article/acti...

"It’s completely counterintuitive to not allow people to have health care until" they can prove they are sick or disabled enough to be exempt from newly imposed work requirements.

Understaffing in nursing homes puts residents and workers at risk, leading to preventable injuries and deaths. Yet, the GOP's mega-bill halts a rule that would have increased required staffing levels in nursing homes. An estimated 13,000 Americans are expected to die each year as a result.

Americans often struggle to enroll in Medicaid while grappling with a medical crisis. Trump’s "big, beautiful" bill cuts retroactive Medicaid coverage from 3 to 2 months for most enrollees, threatening their access to healthcare and increasing the likelihood that they’ll be left with medical debt.

We’re urging organizations to sign onto our CCD Housing Task Force letter to Congress. As Congress shapes the FY26 budget, we’re standing together to protect and expand the housing programs that older adults and people with disabilities depend on. Sign on:

#ProtectMedicaid #DisabilityRights #Congress @schiff.senate.gov @padilla.senate.gov @replindasanchez.bsky.social Every person with a #disability should have the right to live independently in the home and community of their choice with services and supports. In home care is essential.

Trump's mega budget bill blocks a new rule that would have increased staffing in nursing facilities and required a registered nurse on-site 24/7. Chronic understaffing in nursing homes endangers both residents and workers, leading to preventable injuries, illnesses, and deaths.

As Medicaid cuts loom, sisters Carrie and Kristy Madden, who both live with muscular dystrophy, face the prospect of losing in-home care—and with it their hard-won independence.

Experience the 90-year history of Social Security on its anniversary with our new documentary: "Social Security: 90 Years Strong!" Featuring FDR's son, Jim Roosevelt & author/historian Nancy Altman. WATCH HERE::: www.youtube.com/watch?v=X83f... #FDR #SocialSecurity #WeEarnedIt #SocialSecurity90

"Reliable research has shown that among older adults who become homeless, the primary reason is the combination of poverty and high housing costs, rather than mental illness or addiction."