Medicare Interactive toolkits provide a variety of resources to help you navigate complex Medicare topics. This toolkit is comprised of a series of stand-alone Medicare Advocacy Toolkits developed for any New York advocate who is helping older adults and people with disabilities navigate health insurance benefits.

With 30 years of counseling and advocacy experience, the Medicare Rights Center possesses specialized knowledge about the barriers people with Medicare face in accessing affordable health care, as well as strategies for overcoming these barriers. While intended for a New York audience, the Medicare Advocacy Toolkits may offer lessons to other states and be useful resources as advocates and policymakers think about ways to improve the federal Medicare program.

Medicare Advocacy Toolkits explore and offer troubleshooting tips around the following topics:

  • Medicare enrollment
  • Durable medical equipment (DME) access
  • Medicare for individuals with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
  • Part D drug access

Medicare enrollment

Note: As a result of the coronavirus public health emergency, Medicare announced certain enrollment flexibilities as well as made temporary changes to the equitable relief process. For more information, please visit Medicare Rights’ blog.

Medicare Part B Enrollment for New York Older Adults: An Advocate’s Toolkit for Helping Individuals Age 65+ Enroll in Medicare Part B

This Medicare Advocacy Toolkit is designed to help advocates address the needs of New Yorkers who are eligible for Medicare due to age and premium-free Part A. The toolkit serves as a step-by-step resource to help advocates and people eligible for Medicare navigate Part B enrollment challenges.

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Medicare Part B Enrollment for New Yorkers with Disabilities: An Advocate’s Toolkit for Helping Individuals Under 65 Enroll in Medicare Part B

This Medicare Advocacy Toolkit is designed to help advocates address the needs of New Yorkers who have been automatically enrolled in Medicare due to disability, but have declined or disenrolled from Part B. The toolkit serves as a step-by-step resource to help advocates and people eligible for Medicare navigate Part B enrollment challenges.

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Durable medical equipment (DME) access

Note: As a result of the coronavirus public health emergency, Medicare has waived certain DME requirements.

Medicare Oxygen Equipment: An Advocate’s Toolkit for Helping Beneficiaries Access Durable Medical Equipment

This Medicare Advocacy Toolkit is designed to help advocates address the needs of New Yorkers who are eligible for Medicare coverage of oxygen equipment in their home. This toolkit is intended for use with individuals who are eligible for Medicare due to age, disability, or because they have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

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Power Wheelchairs: An Advocate’s Toolkit for Helping Beneficiaries Access Durable Medical Equipment

This Medicare Advocacy Toolkit is designed to help advocates address the needs of New Yorkers who are eligible for Medicare coverage of power wheelchairs (PWCs). Medicare’s coverage rules for PWCs are the same regardless of how someone qualifies for Medicare. Thus, this guide is intended for use with individuals who are eligible for Medicare due to age, disability, or because they have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

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Diabetes Supplies: An Advocate’s Guide for Helping Medicare Beneficiaries Access Supplies for Treating Diabetes

This Medicare Advocacy Toolkit is designed to help advocates address the needs of New Yorkers who are eligible for Medicare coverage of diabetes supplies. Medicare’s coverage rules for these supplies are the same regardless of how someone qualifies for Medicare. Thus, this guide is intended for use with individuals who are eligible for Medicare due to age, disability, or because they have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

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Medicare for individuals with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)

Medicare for Individuals with End-Stage Renal Disease: An Advocate’s Toolkit for Helping Individuals with Medicare Due to ESRD

This Medicare Advocacy Toolkit serves as a step-by-step resource to help advocates and people eligible for Medicare due to ESRD. The toolkit first describes the problem and target audience, then provides an overview of ESRD Medicare issues and strategies to resolve them, as well as offering case examples to demonstrate how to evaluate and use these strategies in complex scenarios. Throughout the guide, content is organized in a way that parallels how our counselors evaluate and troubleshoot actual Medicare issues. In addition, the guide contains citations to the relevant rules that form the basis for helping people solve their Medicare problems.

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Part D drug access

Prescription Drug Appeals: An Advocate’s Toolkit for Helping Individuals Appeal Prescription Drug Denials

This Medicare Advocacy Toolkit serves as a step-by-step resource to help advocates and people with Medicare appeal prescription drug denials. The toolkit first describes the problem and target audience, then provides an overview of Medicare prescription drug issues and strategies to resolve them. Throughout the guide, content is organized in a way that parallels how its counselors evaluate and troubleshoot actual Medicare issues. In addition, the guide contains citations to the relevant rules that form the basis for helping people solve their Medicare problems.

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You are welcome to print and use these toolkits to help yourself or your clients navigate insurance. You may also refer your clients with additional questions to Medicare Rights’ National Consumer Helpline at 800-333-4114.

Support for this work was provided by the New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth).

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