Rep. Craig Introduces Bill to Help More Seniors Access Medicare Benefits

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig introduced the bipartisan Senior Savings Protection Act to help more low-income seniors learn about and access essential Medicare benefits. Rep. Craig’s bill would reauthorize federal resources that expand outreach to potential low-income Medicare beneficiaries and boost enrollment efforts.

These resources are set to expire on January 30, 2026. They have been extended with bipartisan support multiple times over the past 17 years. There are currently more than 1 million Minnesotans enrolled in Medicare.

The Senior Savings Protection Act was co-introduced by Representatives Doris Matsui (CA-07), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11). 

“Every senior should have the information and support they need to access their earned Medicare benefits, and that’s why it’s critical that existing outreach and enrollment resources are extended,” said Rep. Craig. “I’m proud to be introducing the Senior Savings Protection Act to improve health outcomes and ensure that our nation’s seniors can access the affordable care they are owed."

Rep. Craig has long fought to protect and expand Minnesota seniors’ access to the Medicare benefits they have earned. Earlier this month, Rep. Craig introduced the Seniors Deserve SMARTER (Streamlined Medical Approvals for Timely, Efficient Recovery) Care Act to prevent the expansion of prior authorization in Traditional Medicare and protect seniors from being denied care based on artificial intelligence (AI)-generated coverage decisions.

Rep. Craig also introduced the Medicare Enrollment Protection Act earlier this year. This bill aims to protect seniors who enroll in Medicare Part B from potential coverage gaps and late enrollment penalties after their COBRA coverage ends.

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