Description
Join us June 16, 2026 at 2:00 ET via live webcast!
This webinar will outline the vital role Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) play in the health and financial security of millions of Medicare beneficiaries, the current obstacles to enrollment and access, and will highlight state policy opportunities and advocacy strategies to improve access to these critical programs in the wake of HR1.
Presented by Melanie Lambert (Center for Medicare Advocacy), Tim Engelhardt (Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab) and Jess Maurer (Maine Council on Aging), and moderated by Kata Kertesz (Center for Medicare Advocacy).
Register Now
Presenters
Tim Engelhardt is the executive director of the Aging & Disability Health Policy Lab. He has spent the last 25 years working to improve health outcomes and community integration for older adults and people with disabilities. Most recently, Engelhardt led the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Prior to federal service, Engelhardt consulted for an array of government and private sector clients at The Lewin Group and served as deputy director for long-term care financing at the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Engelhardt earned his Master of Health Science from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame.
Kata Kertesz engages in public policy issues surrounding Medicare, those dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, oral health in Medicare, and other matters regarding access to health care. Ms. Kertesz engages in federal administrative and legislative advocacy, analyzing and commenting on current Medicare-related policy developments, and working in collaboration with coalitions of consumer protection groups to identify and address systemic issues. Ms. Kertesz is co-editor of the Medicare Treatise, Medicare Handbook, updated annually. Ms. Kertesz is a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance. Ms. Kertesz earned her B.A. degree from Georgetown University, and her J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Kertesz was a journalist at the Associated Press in Washington, DC. Ms. Kertesz is admitted to the bars of the District of Columbia and Maryland, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Melanie Lambert, Center for Medicare Advocacy as Senior Medicare Advocate, has a background in public service, advocacy, and program management, and with a passion for promoting health equity and social justice. As Senior Medicare Advocate, Ms. Lambert contributes to the Center’s education, training, outreach and advocacy work and provides direct support to Medicare beneficiaries who contact the Center for assistance. Prior to joining the Center, Ms. Lambert administered and coordinated a variety of grants and programs serving older adults and individuals with disabilities for the CT Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS), including serving as the CHOICES/SHIP Director from 2019 to 2023. Before that, she administered community health programs and provided Aging and Disability Resource and SHIP Counseling to older adults and people with disabilities at the North Central Area Agency on Aging. As part of her graduate studies, she served as Student Representative to the United Nations on behalf of the International Association of Schools of Social Work, and served as Public Policy Intern for the CT Community Nonprofit Alliance. Ms. Lambert holds a policy-focused Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Connecticut. She graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Philosophy from Central Connecticut State University.
Jess Maurer is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Maine Council on Aging, a multidisciplinary network of over 140 businesses working to ensure we can all live healthy, engaged, and secure lives as we age. She leads data-informed policy change efforts on issues related to ageism, equity, poverty, housing, transportation, workforce, and care. A core focus of her work is on worldwide demographic shifts and longevity trends, and how our cultural norms about work, health, and the built environment haven’t kept pace with these trends. With the goal of ending ageism in Maine by 2032, Jess co-designed the Leadership Exchange on Ageism, an innovative program that has inspired over 450 leaders to take meaningful action to disrupt ageism and promote age-positivity. This program is being replicated in other states and nationally. Throughout her work, she maintains focus on underserved and marginalized older people to ensure the policies we adopt work for everyone. To this end, in 2023, she successfully led efforts to significantly increase eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program in Maine, expanding the benefit to more than 45,000 older Mainers. A licensed Maine attorney, Jess worked for 17 years in the Maine Office of the Attorney General.