An Analysis of Call Data from the Medicare Rights Center’s National Helpline

Introduction and Summary

The Medicare Rights Center (Medicare Rights) is a national, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and public policy initiatives. In 2020 and 2021, Medicare Rights staff and volunteers addressed nearly 42,000 questions and issues through the organization’s national consumer helpline and professional email channel. In addition, Medicare Rights’ free and independent online reference tool Medicare Interactive (MI), designed to help older adults and people with disabilities navigate the complex world of health insurance, answered more than 5.5 million questions for beneficiaries, their caregivers, and professionals. This report features select helpline trends and highlights the most commonly sought helpline and Medicare Interactive answers, providing a glimpse into the information and coverage needs of Medicare beneficiaries and their families in 2020 and 2021.