irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.40MEDUCATIONAL OUTREACH: Medicare Rights' expert print and online resources and trainings, provided through Medicare Interactive (www.medicareinteractive.org), answered 2.1 million Medicare questions and empowered professionals across the country to better serve their own older clients and those with disabilities. As part of this work, Medicare Rights offers its training and certification services to Medicare counselors nationally through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Technical Assistance Center and the Senior Medicare Patrol Resource Center.
- #2 $567KPolicy: Medicare Rights carried the stories of the clients it serves to meetings of policymakers and other stakeholders in New York and Washington, DC., and media placements totaled 1,596. Medicare Rights also led 249 presentations and trainings to translate Medicare policy into consumer-friendly language and circulated Medicare newsletters and other communications to a list of more than 124,574 readers.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Educational Outreach
Provides expert print and online resources through Medicare Interactive (www.medicareinteractive.org), answering millions of Medicare questions annually and offering training and certification for Medicare counselors nationwide.
Enrollment Services
Submits Medicare cost-saving benefit applications on behalf of clients, saving individuals millions in out-of-pocket health care costs and improving access to care and medications.
Policy Advocacy
Advocates for policy change by sharing client stories with policymakers in New York and Washington, DC, conducting presentations, and distributing newsletters to over 120,000 readers.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Healthcare Policy Advocacy 7 activities
- Advocate for affordability and accessibility of health coverage under the ACAAdvocates for the reinstatement of enhanced ACA subsidies and supported tax credit expansions that contributed to a 50% reduction in the uninsured rate among adults aged 50–64 and a rise in Marketplace enrollment from 12 million (2021) to 24.2 million (2025), through formal comments and outreach.
- Advocate for equitable Medicare Advantage payment policiesAdvocates for reforms to align Medicare Advantage payment structures with Traditional Medicare, submitting policy comments to CMS on proposed changes including the 2027 Advance Notice and Part C and D Rule, informed by research showing $82 billion in overpayments over ten years.
- Advocate for equitable prescription drug pricing and accessEngages in policy advocacy related to Medicare drug price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act, including providing commentary on proposed prescription drug payment models for Part D and selection of drugs for negotiation.
- Advocate for modernization and equity in Medicare enrollment systemsResponds to federal requests for information and proposed rules to promote equitable access, including advocating for AI tools in Medicare enrollment modernization and ensuring fair implementation of program changes.
- Advocate for protection from medical debt and financial harmSupports federal and state-level policies to protect individuals from medical debt, including advocating for CFPB rules and urging states to eliminate medical debt reporting, to improve access to care and financial security.
- Advocate for sustained funding and effectiveness of health insurance assistance programsAdvocates for increased and sustained federal funding for State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) and for accurate provider directories in Medicare Advantage plans to improve access and quality of care.
- Conduct advocacy outreach and media engagementConducts outreach to policymakers and stakeholders in New York and Washington, DC, supported by hundreds to over 1,500 media placements annually, to advance policy goals related to Medicare and health equity.
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Medicare Counseling and Assistance 2 activities
- Answer Medicare-related questions through online and print resourcesProvides accessible, expert information on Medicare through print and online platforms, including Medicare Interactive, answering millions of questions annually—ranging from 2.1 million to 3.3 million per year according to IRS-990 reports.
- Operate national helpline for Medicare counseling and enrollment assistanceProvides free, unbiased counseling to individuals navigating Medicare, including enrollment in Medicare Savings Programs and resolving coverage issues, through a national helpline staffed by employees and volunteers. In 2023, addressed affordability concerns for 41% of callers.
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Public Benefits Navigation and Enrollment 1 activity
- Submit Medicare cost-saving benefit applications for eligible individualsProvides direct support to Medicare beneficiaries by submitting applications for cost-saving benefits such as Medicare Savings Programs, resulting in $12 million in savings for clients through over 2,785 applications submitted.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Conduct research to inform Medicare and Medicaid policy improvementsProduces case studies and policy analyses on Medicare-Medicaid integration and dual eligibility, highlighting systemic challenges and the impact of counseling services to inform federal and state policy reforms.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$5.28M
Contributions & grants$3.36M64%
Program service revenue$1.52M29%
Investment income$183K3%
Other revenue$218K
expenses
Total expenses$5.25M
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$4.09M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.52M
Cash$2.81M
Investments$1.21M
Liabilities$1.51M
Net assets$5.00M
Liquid reserves9.2 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +8.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frederic Riccardi | President | 38 | $268K |
| LINDSEY COPELAND | FED POLICY DIR | 38 | $231K |
| RACHEL BENNETT | VP OF PROGRAM DEV | 38 | $210K |
| MARCIN BEDNARZ | DIRECTOR OF IT | 38 | $204K |
| MITCHELL CLARK | Director of Comm | 38 | $159K |
| Sarah A Murdoch | Client Serv Dir | 38 | $138K |
board members · 19
- ALAN LUBIN — TREASURER
- ANN ADENBAUM — BOARD MEMBER
- Albert Siu MD — BOARD MEMBER
- Ann Hickey — BOARD MEMBER
- BRUCE VLADECK PHD — Chair Emeritus
- CAROL RAPHAEL — CO-CHAIRPERSON
- CURTIS L COLE MD — BOARD MEMBER
- CYBELE BJORKLUND — BOARD MEMBER
- DAVID MATYAS JD — BOARD MEMBER
- DONNA REGENSTREIF PHD — Chair Emerita
- Edith Everett — BOARD MEMBER
- HERMAN ROSEN MD — BOARD MEMBER
- Jonathan Blum — BOARD MEMBER
- KATHY CHIN — CO-CHAIRPERSON
- LEROY BARR — BOARD MEMBER
- MARILYN MOON PHD — BOARD MEMBER
- Nedal Shami — board member
- PETER HUTCHINGS — BOARD MEMBER
- RENU THOMAS — Secretary
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- AARP Partner — Cites and references AARP reports on family caregiving to inform advocacy and public education efforts.
- AARP Partner — References AARP survey data and reports to support understanding of retirement and health care cost concerns among adults over 50.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Government — Engages with CMS policy decisions, including commenting on rule changes such as staffing requirements for nursing homes.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Government — Federal agency with which the organization engages through policy comments and advocacy on Medicare enrollment reforms.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Government — Regularly engages with CMS through comments on policy proposals and notices.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Government — Submits policy comments and engages with CMS on Medicare Advantage and Part D regulations.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Government — Submitted comments to CMS on proposed changes to ACA plans.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Government — Submitted comments to CMS on proposed changes to Affordable Care Act plans.
- Federal and state advocates Partner — Collaborates with federal and state advocates to protect Medicare’s future and address beneficiary needs.
- KFF Health News Partner — Cites and collaborates with KFF Health News for data and analysis on ACA enrollee experiences and affordability impacts.
- National Alliance for Caregiving Partner — Cites joint report with AARP on caregiving in the US to support policy advocacy.
- Senate Joint Economic Committee Government — Produced a congressional report on Medicare Advantage overpayments that the organization references and supports.
- Senior Medicare Patrol Resource Center Partner — Collaborates on training and certification of Medicare counselors nationally.
- State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Partner — Collaborates with and refers individuals to SHIP offices for state-level Medicare counseling and assistance.
- State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Technical Assistance Center Partner — Provides training and certification services to Medicare counselors through this national partnership.
- State Health Insurance Assistance Programs Partner — Program that provides one-on-one Medicare counseling; supported through advocacy for increased funding and integration into beneficiary assistance pathways.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Beneficiary-Centered Policy Reformmethodology: beneficiary-centered reformBy centering the needs and voices of Medicare beneficiaries in policy design and reform, we produce more equitable and effective health care policies because reforms informed by lived experience are more likely to address real-world barriers and protect vulnerable populations.
- Integrated Care for Dually Eligible Beneficiariesmethodology: integrated-care-for-dually-eligibleBy advocating for integrated care models for people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, we reduce cost sharing and improve care coordination because unified systems prevent fragmentation, lower administrative burden, and align incentives around whole-person health outcomes.
- Integrated Service and Advocacy Modelmethodology: integrated service and advocacy modelBy combining direct counseling, public education, and policy advocacy, we improve access to affordable health care because systemic change is most effective when grounded in real-time beneficiary experiences and amplified through coordinated public and policy efforts.
- Plan Standardization to Improve Consumer Decision-Makingmethodology: plan standardization to improve consumer decision-makingBy standardizing Medicare plan options and limiting non-standardized plans, we improve consumer decision-making because reduced complexity and choice overload enable beneficiaries to compare and select high-quality, appropriate coverage with greater confidence and accuracy.
- Preventive Affordability and Systemic Affordabilitymethodology: systemic-affordabilityBy addressing health care affordability before and within Medicare, we improve long-term health outcomes and reduce system costs because sustained access to care prevents delayed treatment, disease progression, and avoidable utilization of high-cost services.