Making Medicare Work for Low-Income Seniors

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Since 1965, Americans have depended on Medicare to meet their health care needs in retirement. For low-income individuals, it's an even more critical lifeline. Improvements are needed to shore up the program's promise to those who have trouble affording Medicare's cost-sharing requirements. Hear how the Administration is prioritizing this population, what fixes are being debated in Washington, and what organizations are doing on the ground to meet low-income Medicare beneficiaries' needs.

Rep. Lisa Blunt-Rochester (D-DE)

U.S. House of Representatives

Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the U.S. House of Representatives and serves as an Assistant Whip for House Leadership. Lisa sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The committee has broad jurisdiction over health care, the environment, commerce and trade, energy policy, telecommunications, manufacturing, and consumer protection.

As the Energy and Commerce Committee’s only former statewide health official, Lisa understands health care from a number of different perspectives – as an implementer at the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, negotiator while serving as State Personnel Director, and advocate as CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League. Lisa is focused on reducing the cost of health care and prescription drugs for middle-class families, addressing the disparity in outcomes for communities of color, and tackling our nation’s opioid and addiction epidemic. She serves as a Member of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, comprised of more than 100 members united with the common goal of tackling opioid addiction.

Vicki Dufrene

Director

Senior Health Insurance Information Program, Louisiana

Vicki Dufrene, is the Insurance Manager for the Louisiana Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), within the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI). Vicki as spent 33 years working for the State of Louisiana, starting out in Food Stamps and Medicaid, moving to become a Disability examiner for Social Security before joining the Louisiana Department of Insurance in 2001 as a SHIP counselor and taking over as Director in November 2007. Vicki is a hands-on director. She can be seen providing phone counseling, working complaints, Part D enrollments, to being in the field establishing SHIIP partnerships, administering training, and traveling the state – reaching out to many of Louisiana’s Medicare beneficiaries. The experience Vicki and her counselors share provides the expertise needed to help those who are enrolled in any of the following products and programs: Medicare, Medicaid programs specifically for Medicare Beneficiaries, Medicare Supplement insurance (Medigap) plans, Medicare Advantage/Medicare HMO plans, Private Fee-for-Service plans, Long Term Care Insurance coverage, and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. Vicki has been an active member in numerous Senior and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) Councils. She represented the Louisiana Department of Insurance at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners quarterly conference, serving on both the Senior Issues Task Force and the Long-Term Care Working Group. Additionally, Vicki serves on the National SHIIP Steering Committee and at various times on other local, state, and national level committees.Vicki Dufrene’s far-reaching experience and longevity at LDI is a noteworthy asset to the Louisiana Department of Insurance.

Tim Engelhardt

Director

Senior Health Insurance Information Program, Louisiana

Tim Engelhardt directs the CMS Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office. The office was created in the Affordable Care Act to improve services for individuals dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Prior to joining CMS in 2010, Tim was a consultant with The Lewin Group, and he previously served as the Deputy Director for Long Term Care Financing at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Tim received a BA in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame and an MHS from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Howard Bedlin

Government Relations & Advocacy Principal

National Council on Aging

Howard Bedlin has led NCOA's legislative advocacy efforts on issues and programs of concern to older adults for the past 25 years, which include the Older Americans Act, Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care, income security, and community services. Prior to joining NCOA, he worked for the American Association of Homes for the Aging (now LeadingAge), the National Association for Home Care, and AARP. Howard received his law degree and Master of Policy Science from the University of Maryland, and Bachelor’s in Political Science from Binghamton University in New York.

Aisha Williams, MBA, MPP

Senior Director, Economic Security and Benefits

National Council on Aging

Aisha Williams, MBA, MPP is the Senior Director of Economic Security and Benefits at NCOA. Aisha brings over 15 years of experience and accomplishments in business development, growth, strategy, and innovation.

Aisha comes to NCOA from The PRICE Group, a consulting firm that she founded and sold within 5 years of inception. Prior to founding the PRICE Group, Aisha worked for the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) as their Deputy Director and Program Manager of the Housing Counseling Network, and she was an Associate and Project Manager for the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Her background includes extensive experience with health care systems, health care law and policy, social determinants of health, and social and economic safety net systems.

She is a Juris Doctor candidate in Health Care Law at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. Aisha also possesses an MBA from Johns Hopkins University, MPP from Georgetown University, and bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Psychology from Smith College.