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Ali Bers

@alicebers.bsky.social
464 followers 631 following 45 posts

Director, Massachusetts Medicare Advocacy Project @communitylegalma.bsky.social; former Litigation Director @ Center for Medicare Advocacy; interested in health care policy; only my own views here. She/her Western Mass

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Reposted by Ali Bers
Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Many Medicare Part D Stand-Alone Drug Plan Enrollees Will See Modest Premium Increases for 2027, But Others Could Pay Much More If They Don’t Switch Plans www.kff.org/medicare/man...
kff.org
Many Medicare Part D Stand-Alone Drug Plan Enrollees Will See Modest Premium Increases for 2027, But Others Could Pay Much More If They Don’t Switch Plans | KFF
This brief analyzes the Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) market for 2027. The analysis shows that there will be a modest reduction in the number of PDPs for 2027, along with mo...
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Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Medicare and Medicaid! 61 years ago President Johnson signed the Medicare/Medicaid legislation in Independence, MO, the hometown of President Harry Truman. For decades Medicare and Medicaid has provided crucial access to affordable coverage to those needing it.
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Ali Bers @alicebers.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
My piece on Medicare Advantage appeals, where reversal rates are raising serious questions about how often beneficiaries are wrongly denied care. @greenfieldrecorder.bsky.social
recorder.com
My Turn: Denied by Medicare Advantage? The odds say appeal - Greenfield Recorder
If you had a nine in ten chance of winning something, wouldn’t you go for it? Those are odds worth taking. What if it was not only something you wanted, but something you needed, like medically necess...
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Peter Morley ♿️ @petermorley.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Thursday, July 30 is the 61st anniversary of Medicare & Medicaid! Now more than ever we must fight together to protect these essential programs along with SNAP as nutrition is the key to good health!
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Adrianna McIntyre @adrianna.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Great story from over the weekend on how states — red and blue — are struggling with the costs of rushing to stand up work requirements. These concerns could get worse if the IFR (expected this afternoon) includes "surprises" that contradict implementation choices states have already made
politico.com
States balk at the high price of Medicaid work requirements amid budget crunch
States dealing with budget shortfalls are facing tens of millions of dollars in new costs ahead of the federal Jan. 1 deadline.
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Justice in Aging @justiceinaging.org · 20/05/2026
Half of Americans on Medicare went without dental care last year not because they didn’t need it, but because Medicare doesn’t cover most dental services.
to.justiceinaging.org
FAQ: Adding a Dental Benefit to Medicare Part B - Justice in Aging
Medicare currently excludes most dental care. Learn how adding a dental benefit to Part B could expand coverage, improve oral health, and reduce costs for seniors.
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Miranda Yaver @mirandayaver.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Recent @kff.org analysis shows that only half of Americans would be able to pay a $500 medical bill in full, and it doesn't take much to run up a tab in US health care. My book Coverage Denied shows how insurance denials worsen these patient financial vulnerabilities. www.amazon.com/Coverage-Den...
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Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
The Help That Many Older Americans Need Most - The New York Times www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/h...
nytimes.com
The Help That Many Older Americans Need Most
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Drishti Pillai, PhD, MPH @drishp.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
As I discussed in this article with Vanessa, this is the first time in history that Congress has taken away Medicare from any group, and the immigrants impacted are those with lawful presence in the U.S., many of whom have paid into the system for decades.
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Ali Bers @alicebers.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Also, despite these changes taking effect in July ‘25 for new Medicare enrollees, Social Sec. (which handles enrollment), hasn’t yet updated their procedures. Medicare advocates are deeply concerned not only re the policy but also that people are being harmed by the complete lack of any guidance
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Anthony Wright @awright2care.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
BREAKING: New enrollment data confirms more Americans uninsured and underinsured as a result of deliberate decisions made in the last year. Coverage in the #ACA marketplaces saw their first decrease in 5 years--a 5% drop of 1.2 million Americans. (1/)
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Miranda Yaver @mirandayaver.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
This would be terrible. 99% of Medicare Advantage enrollees have prior authorization, a departure from how traditional Medicare has historically operated (though Oz is changing that), which causes delays and denials. What’s more, networks are often very limited, further reducing access to care.
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Daniel Suitor @danielsuitor.com · 17/03/2026
I think this is the closest I've ever gotten to articulating my animating belief system.
“I grew up like a New England Protestant. I believe that you toil and then you die, and you dig a ditch every day of your life. And at the end of your life, there’s the ditch. That’s how I treat this work. It’s gotten me to this point where I can help people and that’s enough for me.”
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Stacie Dusetzina @dusetzinas.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
WSJ Ed Board should read their own talented reporters work on MA. www.wsj.com/health/healt...
wsj.com
Exclusive | Seniors Paid Billions in Extra Premiums Due to Alleged Medicare Overpayments
A congressional committee found that controversial practices like adding diagnoses in Medicare Advantage triggered higher bills for America’s seniors.
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Ali Bers @alicebers.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Because Social Security administers Medicare enrollment, these issues have affected Medicare beneficiaries too.
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Bat 🦇 Borus @matthewborus.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
A less responsive Social Security Administration also meant more work for claimants and advocates. As one respondent told us, "The amount of resources spent just to get basic information is phenomenal." And using that level of resources on routine matters strained organizational capacity. 17/x
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Bat 🦇 Borus @matthewborus.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
In 2025, Social Security also made a push to move clients to online platforms. Those are great...for some people. But many SSA clients face barriers to operating online, ranging from “someone who's in their 20s, but unhoused” to “someone who's in their 70s and having issues with memory loss.” 10/x
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Bat 🦇 Borus @matthewborus.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
The impact of the changes at Social Security in 2025 landed hardest on those who were already marginalized. For instance, the phone system rolled out an AI chatbot. Lots of people found it annoying--but for people with speech and communication disabilities, it was a barrier to services. 9/x
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Reed Abelson @reedabelson.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
My latest: New A.C.A. Plans Could Increase Family Deductibles to $31,000 www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/h...
nytimes.com
New A.C.A. Plans Could Increase Family Deductibles to $31,000
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Ali Bers @alicebers.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
“a 25% increase in the steady state flow of immigrants to the US would result in 5,000 fewer deaths nationwide. We identify reduced use of nursing homes as a key mechanism driving this result.” - The Effect of Immigration on Older Adult Mortality in the United States
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Ali Bers @alicebers.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
“a 25% increase in the steady state flow of immigrants to the US would result in 5,000 fewer deaths nationwide. We identify reduced use of nursing homes as a key mechanism driving this result.” - The Effect of Immigration on Older Adult Mortality in the United States
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AG Andrea Joy Campbell @massago.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
This is huge. Massachusetts is home to tens of thousands of hardworking Haitian TPS recipients who enrich the culture of our state, contribute to our economy, and help ensure we meet the needs of elders and patients in our health care and elder care industries - this victory belongs to them.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
HUGE. A victory for more than a quarter million Haitians with Temporary Protected Status. A significant majority of them entered the United States legally and have never been out of status since. Even the Trump admin isn't saying Haiti is a safe country for them to go back to.
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Jen Mercieca @jenmercieca.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Folks blame government, but: "new work requirements for Medicaid highlight the profits to be made from adding complexity to the safety net. Since Georgia implemented work requirements in 2020, they have spent twice as much on Deloitte consultants & administrative costs as on healthcare for people."
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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 19/01/2026
i think this MLK day the thing to focus on is the strategic focus and tactical brilliance of the civil rights movement and the way it was laser focused on a set of achievable goals
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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
“Parents are making impossible choices: declining surgery for their children, delaying emergency care, and refusing specialty referrals because they have calculated that the risks of deportation or family separation exceed the medical necessity." www.cidrap.umn.edu/influenza-ge...
cidrap.umn.edu
Minnesota residents delay medical care for fear of encountering ICE
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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Experts Alarmed by USPSTF Work Slowdown www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/...
medpagetoday.com
Experts Alarmed by USPSTF Work Slowdown
'This is going to be a recipe for disaster'
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Betty C. Jung @bettycjung.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
CMS to stop requiring states to report childhood vaccination levels www.cidrap.umn.edu/childhood-va...
cidrap.umn.edu
CMS to stop requiring states to report childhood vaccination levels
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Ali Bers @alicebers.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
“About a third of the staff at one Miami nursing home lost their jobs after the Trump administration ended the programs letting them work legally.”
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Sam Bagenstos @sbagen.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
By doing so here, the Trump Administration runs smack into the prohibition on Medicare and Medicaid regulating the practice of medicine (as opposed to deciding what they'll pay for). Congress recognized regulating the practice of medicine is a state function, not one for Medicare/Medicaid.
§1395. Prohibition against any Federal interference
Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to authorize any Federal officer or employee to exercise any supervision or control over the practice of medicine or the manner in which medical services are provided, or over the selection, tenure, or compensation of any officer or employee of any institution, agency, or person providing health services; or to exercise any supervision or control over the administration or operation of any such institution, agency, or person.
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Sam Bagenstos @sbagen.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
I am not aware of another Medicare/Medicaid condition of participation that bars a provider from using clinical judgment to provide a particular treatment to patients *not* paid for with federal dollars.
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Sam Bagenstos @sbagen.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Under the proposed rule issued by the Trump Administration today, any Medicare- or Medicaid-participating hospital would be barred from providing gender-affirming care to *any child*, even if the care is not paid for by Medicare or Medicaid. public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-23465.pdf
public-inspection.federalregister.gov
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Larry Levitt @larrylevitt.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
With no extension of enhanced tax credits, ACA enrollees are going to start the year with premium payments increasing by an average of 114%, or over $1,000 a year per person. Some will find a way to pay it, some have switched to higher deductibles, and some have dropped coverage.
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Ali Bers @alicebers.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Scammers often purport to offer private Medicare Advantage plans; confusing array of enrollment options/procedures creates opportunities for fraudsters.
nytimes.com
Medicare Scammers Are Calling Seniors 50 Times a Day, Trying to Trap Them
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Voices of Health Care Action @voicesofhealthcare.org · 08/12/2025
Complaints about gaps in Medicare Advantage networks are common. Federal enforcement is rare.
kffhealthnews.org
Complaints About Gaps in Medicare Advantage Networks Are Common. Federal Enforcement Is Rare. - KFF Health News
Health systems drop out of Medicare Advantage plans all the time. Yet government documents obtained by KFF Health News show that federal regulators rarely warn plans that their networks of health providers are so skimpy they violate legal requirements.
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Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Starting Jan. 1, traditional Medicare recipients in Washington state will face a new hurdle to get certain procedures covered — private AI companies that get paid based on how many claims they deny. www.kuow.org/stories/thou...
kuow.org
Thousands of Washington state Medicare users could soon have claims denied by AI
Starting Jan. 1, traditional Medicare recipients in Washington state will face a new hurdle to get certain procedures covered — private AI companies that get paid based on how many claims they deny.
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Jade Walker @jadewalker.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
In Massachusetts, 74% of working-age recipients of food stamps are employed, half of them full-time. Nearly 2,500 work for Amazon and another 2,300 work for Walmart. Uber, DoorDash and Tempus Unlimited each have more than 1,400 workers who rely on SNAP www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/28/m...
bostonglobe.com
‘The government is subsidizing corporate profits’: Who employs the most SNAP recipients in Massachusetts? - The Boston Globe
In Massachusetts, 74 percent of working-age SNAP recipients have jobs.
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Miranda Yaver @mirandayaver.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Not out yet, but my forthcoming book Coverage Denied is available for preorder! www.amazon.com/Coverage-Den...
amazon.com
Coverage Denied: How Health Insurers Drive Inequality in the United States
Amazon.com: Coverage Denied: How Health Insurers Drive Inequality in the United States: 9781009649810: Yaver, Miranda: Books
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Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
We're drowning in passwords & multi-factor authentication & chatbots & "unusually high call volume" & robots ignoring "representative!" We should think more carefully about how Social Security uses these tools with our parents & grandparents. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/aint-no-pa...
donmoynihan.substack.com
Ain't No Party Like an Administrative Burden Party
You are cordially invited to Admin Night - bring your paperwork
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How To Read This Chart @howtoreadthisch.art · 15/11/2025
I decided to convert dollars to centimeters. That allows us to visualize, for example, the distance between having no money and being at poverty level — about four city blocks. 2/8
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Dr. Alex Ketchum (she/her) @aketchum22.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
Alice Wong was such an amazing activist. I had the honour of meeting her when she spoke as part of the Disrupting Disruptions series that I organize. May we continue to honour her work by working towards a more socially just world.
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Julie DiCaro @juliedicaro.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
"(T)ens of millions of Americans rely on monthly SNAP benefits to pay for food. In support of their motion for a TRO, plaintiffs provided overwhelming evidence of the harms that even a short suspension of benefits would cause, including numerous declarations from SNAP beneficiaries"
The harm from a stay would be immense. The
government, understandably, makes no attempt to argue otherwise.
As we have already noted, tens of millions of Americans rely on
monthly SNAP benefits to pay for food. In support of their motion
for a TRO, the plaintiffs provided overwhelming evidence of the
harms that even a short suspension of benefits would cause,
including numerous declarations from SNAP beneficiaries and those
who serve them. Those declarations describe a pregnant mother in
Georgia forced to skip meals to feed her son; a working grandfather
in Massachusetts who would eat twice instead of three times a day
to feed his family; a mother in North Carolina who worries about
how feeding her three children less will affect their health; and
a nonprofit leader in Rhode Island whose clients will be forced to
choose whether to "heat or eat" as the holidays approach and winter
bears down on New England.
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
This is an absolutely insane administrative process. Within the space of a week, states were told by judges/White House *no SNAP benefits *half benefits *full benefits *pause provision of benefits. Result is chaos, uncertainty, and uneven access to benefits depending on where people live.
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Governor Maura Healey @massgovernor.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
SNAP UPDATE: I’m directing SNAP benefits to be processed today — and paid IN FULL starting tomorrow. Americans are going hungry because President Trump chose to play politics with their lives. People need to eat. We’re making sure they do.
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Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
Why Medicare Recipients Should Check Their 2026 Drug Plans Now www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/b...
nytimes.com
Why Medicare Recipients Should Check Their 2026 Drug Plans Now
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Assigned Media @assignedmedia.org · 30/10/2025
(con't.) -- Medicare/Medicaid rule would be huge expansion of Presidential power to ban any care (abortion, IVF, mifepristone) it doesn't like. Trump has relied on intimidation until now to stop hospitals; new rules will finally subject this to tests of legality in court. @rikiwilchins.bsky.social
npr.org
Trump pushes an end to medical care for transgender youth nationally
The White House plans to bar hospitals that treat transgender children and youth from getting any Medicare and Medicaid payments. The move would affect trans youth who have private insurance, too.
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Last Week Tonight with John Oliver @lastweektonight.com · 27/10/2025
This week’s main story details what Medicare Advantage is, why it basically has all the pitfalls of private insurance, and what a Mountain Chicken is. And if you don’t already know what a Mountain Chicken is, go ahead and visualize a “Mountain Chicken” in your head now. Great. It’s not that.
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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 30/10/2025
Another shutdown casualty: Medicare telehealth coverage
motherjones.com
Another shutdown casualty: Medicare telehealth coverage
It's got bipartisan support—and millions of Americans need it. But Congress keeps failing to lock in telehealth funding.
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Drew Altman @drewaltman.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
Four in ten who buy their own coverage say they would go without coverage if ACA premiums doubled. They will increase 114% if enhanced tax credits are not extended: on.kff.org/4nACyIk
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Larry Levitt @larrylevitt.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
New: Broad support across the political spectrum for extending enhanced ACA premium tax credits.
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