(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.)
CHICAGO, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Signing up for Medicare is too complicated - the process is fraught with potential errors that can saddle you with costly penalties and gaps in coverage while you wait for enrollment to kick in.
Now, some help is on the way. The $2.3 trillion federal COVID-19 relief and spending bill here signed into law last month included important changes aimed at streamlining Medicare enrollment contained in the BENES Act, a bill that has been bouncing around Congress for several years (reut.rs/2KT2KRq). The changes will shorten long waiting times for coverage to begin, and streamline other outdated features of Medicare enrollment.