Judith Stein founded the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc., in 1986 where she is currently the Executive Director. Ms. Stein has focused on legal representation of the elderly since beginning her legal career in 1975. From 1977 until 1986, she was the Co-Director of Legal Assistance to Medicare Patients (LAMP), where she managed the first Medicare advocacy program in the country. She has extensive experience in developing and administering Medicare advocacy projects, representing Medicare beneficiaries, producing educational materials, teaching and consulting. She has been lead or co-counsel in federal class action and individual cases challenging improper Medicare policies and denials. 

Ms. Stein graduated cum laude from Williams College in 1972 and received her law degree with honors from Catholic University School of Law in 1975. She is the editor and co-author of numerous books, articles, and other electronic and print publications regarding Medicare and related issues, including the Medicare Handbook (Aspen Publishers, Inc., 2008; updated annually). She has appeared as a Medicare expert on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” “Now” on PBS, numerous public radio shows, Kaiser Family Foundation webcasts, and many other forums throughout the country.

Ms. Stein is a Fellow and Past President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a former Commissioner of the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, an elected member of the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI), and a recipient of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA, now CMS) “Beneficiary Services Certificate of Merit”. She was appointed by Senator Chris Dodd as a delegate to the 2005 White House Conference on Aging, received the “2006 Agewise Advocate Award” from the Connecticut Commission on Aging, and serves on the executive committee of the Connecticut Elder Action Network.