Emanuel: “Enrollment Extension Missed Opportunity”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) released the following statement in response to the Wall Street Journal’s report that Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has decided to extend the Medicare drug program enrollment deadline for low-income seniors.

"CMS' recent announcement to extend the enrollment deadline for low-income seniors is a missed opportunity.  The Medicare drug program has been chaotic and confusing for all seniors. For months, the federal government said it would not extend the deadline, yet now it has finally acknowledged the program is deeply flawed," said Emanuel.  "No one should have to pay a complexity tax for the government's failures. If a delay in the enrollment deadline is good enough for low-income seniors, it is good enough for all seniors – regardless of income.”