2021 Changes to Medicare Coverage: A Medicare Customer Question

Some Medicare enrollment questions come from current and future beneficiaries unclear about how new rules might impact their coverage.

(Related: Health Care Options During Unemployment: A Medicare Customer Question)

Here’s one that’s probably on the minds of many Medicare-eligible employees going into the new year.

The Question

What changes have been made to Medicare for 2021 and how will they affect my coverage?

The Answer

There are two recent changes to be aware of that should have positive implications for all Medicare beneficiaries.

To speed the availability of new treatments, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued a new rule that accelerates Medicare coverage for technological innovations. This rule, called Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology (MCIT), will provide national Medicare coverage as early as the same day as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorizes breakthrough devices to be released into the market. The coverage would last for four years and provide Medicare beneficiaries with predictable access to new, breakthrough devices that may help improve their overall health outcomes.