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Medicare Rights Center Inc

EIN 13-3505372 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The Medicare Rights Center is a national, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities through counseling and advocacy, educational programs, and public policy initiatives. Since 1989, weve been helping people with Medicare understand their rights and benefits, navigate the Medicare system, and secure the quality health care they deserve. We strive to be the most reliable source of independent, unbiased Medicare information in the United States.

Income
$5.3 million
Spending
$5.3 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
9.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 33%
Employees
40
Volunteers
32
Highest pay
$268,362, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    22 of 22 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $2.1 million spent. HELPLINES: Medicare Rights' expert staff and volunteers answered more than 29,700 questions on its multilingual national helpline for people with Medicare, their families, and the professionals serving them. As part of this work, Medicare Rights provided over 9,903 counseling sessions devoted to appeals and other Medicare-related legal issues.
  2. $1.4 million spent. EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH: Medicare Rights' expert print and online resources and trainings, provided through Medicare Interactive (www.medicareinteractive.org), answered 2.1 million Medicare questions and empowered professionals across the country to better serve their own older clients and those with disabilities. As part of this work, Medicare Rights offers its training and certification services to Medicare counselors nationally through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Technical Assistance Center and the Senior Medicare Patrol Resource Center.
  3. $566,540 spent. Policy: Medicare Rights carried the stories of the clients it serves to meetings of policymakers and other stakeholders in New York and Washington, DC., and media placements totaled 1,596. Medicare Rights also led 249 presentations and trainings to translate Medicare policy into consumer-friendly language and circulated Medicare newsletters and other communications to a list of more than 124,574 readers.
  4. $544,226 spent. ENROLLMENT SERVICES: Medicare Rights submitted more than 2,186 Medicare cost-saving benefit applications for its clients, saving enrolled individuals $11.5 million in out-of-pocket health care costs and increasing their access to needed care and medicines.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1994.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.