This important legislation will protect seniors from coverage gaps in Medicare by closing the Medicare Part B-COBRA loophole. Under current law, anyone 65 and older who does not enroll in Medicare Part B within eight months of retiring or being laid off from his or her job is penalized with a higher lifetime premium and a delayed start to Medicare coverage. This includes those who opt into COBRA coverage upon retirement which essentially extends the coverage they received under their employer for up to an additional 18 months.

"This legislation is a commonsense effort to make health care more affordable for American seniors by providing a transition period before Medicare late enrollment penalties are applied,'' Rep. Smucker said. "Seniors should be able to make their own choices and enroll in Medicare at an age that makes sense for themselves, not one set by the federal government. I have been fighting for this change to make the enrollment process easier since coming to Congress. I will work to secure support from my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and look forward to this bill's passage."

"We want to ensure the transition from private health care to Medicare is easy," said Congressman Bilirakis. "The current law does not meet that objective. Additionally, the law does not properly reflect the need for flexibility due to the various challenges that those exiting the workforce face in today's economy. Our bill empowers seniors to make the health care decisions that best fit their individual needs without fear of a lifetime penalty, and I look forward to its quick passage."

"I'm proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and introduce legislation to make health care more accessible to our seniors," said Rep. Wild. "As I've said from the beginning of my time in Congress, breaking down barriers to care should not be a partisan issue, and I'm glad that we have taken a step towards closing another Medicare coverage loophole. No one should be penalized with higher premiums or delayed coverage for retiring or dealing with workforce challenges, and I look forward to our bill correcting the current law."

"We should be making it easier for seniors to access the health care they need, not harder, and that's what this common sense, bipartisan bill does," said Rep. Angie Craig. "I'll keep working across the aisle to cut bureaucratic red tape and make life easier for my constituents."

"The last thing seniors need are penalties for making personalized health care choices that best meet their needs," said Rep. Walberg. "Our bipartisan legislation streamlines the process by removing barriers to affordable, uninterrupted coverage. I want to thank my colleagues for their leadership as we work together to empower seniors."

Many seniors aged 65 and older opt to enroll in COBRA upon unexpectedly leaving a job to ensure that they remain in their current provider's network. Once their COBRA coverage expires, they are forced to wait until the next Medicare enrollment period, delaying coverage for as long as a year and triggering higher premiums for life. The Medicare Enrollment Protection Act of 2024 will establish a special enrollment period for seniors who miss their enrollment periods due to COBRA continuation coverage.

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