www.medicare.gov: Accessibility — week 2026-W39

Automated Accessibility Conformance Report (OpenACR): Download ACR. Machine-readable; compatible with GSA OpenACR tooling. Automated tools find ~⅓ of real barriers — supplement with manual AT testing.

Training priorities

Top WCAG success criteria by pages affected this week. Use these to focus team training on the highest-impact issues.

SC	Criterion	Pages	Rules	Notes
1.4.8	WCAG 1.4.8	518	2
2.5.5	WCAG 2.5.5	517	1
4.1.2	Name, Role, Value (ARIA)	473	3	Component inconsistency
1.4.6	WCAG 1.4.6	258	1
2.5.3	WCAG 2.5.3	41	1

Next 10 actions

Clusters are fingerprinted by normalized selector path + rule id + snippet shape. Rank score = (severity weight × pages affected) / distinct components for the rule. This supersedes the template threshold heuristic while still surfacing it as a validation signal.

Design-system alignment (cms-ds / medicare). ds-c-drawer: 200% of sampled rule findings · ds-c-button: 200% of sampled rule findings · ds-c-help-drawer: 100% of sampled rule findings · ds-c-fieldset: 49.9% of sampled rule findings · ds-c-card: 2.3% of sampled rule findings

Top 10 clustered component fixes for this week.
Cluster	Severity	Pages	Who it affects	How to fix	Evidence	Decision
All page content should be contained by landmarks · ds-c-fieldset Fix one place, resolve ~1719 finding(s) on 1719 page(s). XPath / selector: `#edit-step1` `<fieldset role="group" aria-label="Signup form for email updates" class="ds-c-fieldset ds-u-margin-top--0 js-form-item form-item js-form-wrapper form-wrapper" data-drupal-selector="edit-step1" id="edi`	Serious	1719	Requires manual testing.	Wrap all page content in landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) so users can navigate by region.	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes
All page content should be contained by landmarks · unattributed component Fix one place, resolve ~1708 finding(s) on 1708 page(s). XPath / selector: `.ds-u-clearfix` `<div class="ds-u-clearfix form-block__intro">`	Serious	1708	Requires manual testing.	Wrap all page content in landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) so users can navigate by region.	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes
aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements · unattributed component Fix one place, resolve ~446 finding(s) on 446 page(s). XPath / selector: `<div class="search-block__content" aria-hidden="true" id="search_form_block-content">`	Moderate	446	Without vision, Limited vision, Limited manipulation/strength	See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r17	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes
Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard · unattributed component Fix one place, resolve ~448 finding(s) on 448 page(s). XPath / selector: `text: " Important updates, straight to your inbox "`	Moderate	448	Requires manual testing.	See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r57	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes
Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard · unattributed component Fix one place, resolve ~448 finding(s) on 448 page(s). XPath / selector: `text: "Get reminders about Open Enrollment, ways to save costs, and more."`	Moderate	448	Requires manual testing.	See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r57	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes
Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard · unattributed component Fix one place, resolve ~448 finding(s) on 448 page(s). XPath / selector: `text: "Enter your email address"`	Moderate	448	Requires manual testing.	See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r57	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes
Frames must have an accessible name · unattributed component Fix one place, resolve ~15 finding(s) on 15 page(s). XPath / selector: `iframe[height="100%"]` `<iframe data-src="https://surveys.cms...." width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" name="survey-iframe-SI_6tb..." data-name="embedded-iframe-SI_6..." allow="local-network-access" style="border-radi`	Serious	15	Without vision, Limited vision, Limited manipulation/strength	Give every <iframe> a descriptive title attribute.	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes
Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 · unattributed component Fix one place, resolve ~1228 finding(s) on 439 page(s). XPath / selector: `<p>`	Moderate	439	Requires manual testing.	See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r73	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes
Table header has scope · unattributed component Fix one place, resolve ~114 finding(s) on 114 page(s). XPath / selector: `<h2 class="text-align-center ds-u-padding-x--4 ds-u-md-padding-x--0 ds-u-margin-bottom--0">`	Moderate	114	Requires manual testing.	See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r78	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes
First focusable element is link to main content · unattributed component Fix one place, resolve ~12 finding(s) on 12 page(s). XPath / selector: `{"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys`	Moderate	12	Requires manual testing.	See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r87	pages (CSV)	Decision Assigned to Notes

Bug reports

7 issue type(s) are shown by default out of 21 total. Prioritized by severity, key pages, WCAG level, and prevalence; use the toggle to show everything.

Overall severity mix: 3 serious, 17 moderate, 1 minor. By WCAG category: 3 WCAG 2.0 A, 2 WCAG 2.0 AA, 1 WCAG 2.1 A, 4 WCAG 2.x AAA, 5 Best Practice, 6 Undetermined. Ordered by severity, key-page impact, WCAG level, and prevalence. Following accessibility bug-reporting best practices. Download: Markdown · JSON (full archive) · JSON (AI diagnostic) · CSV (all findings) · Priority pages CSV · Priority pages JSON.

Automated testing does not establish full WCAG conformance. Findings in the verification lane require manual testing before they are treated as confirmed failures.

Default view shows 7 prioritized issue type(s); 14 more are available if you switch to "Show everything".

1 finding(s) marked "possible duplicate" — Alfa and axe-core both flagged the same WCAG SC on overlapping pages. If they target the same element, the axe-core report is authoritative. Filter the CSV by possible_duplicate_of to see these. Two engines flagging the same barrier reduces the chance of a false positive.

Findings needing review

These findings need manual verification before they can be treated as confirmed failures. Obligation remains visible for each finding.

Serious axe frame-title WCAG 2.0 A Frames must have an accessible name (WCAG 4.1.2) 15/2061 pages · 15 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-63027f0f
Pattern ID: VS-3f76c7ea
Combined ID: VS-63027f0f (pattern VS-3f76c7ea) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: axe-core — Frames must have an accessible name [frame-title]
Example URL: https://medicare.gov/publication-ordering/12181-S
XPath / selector: iframe[height="100%"]
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<iframe data-src="https://surveys.cms...." width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" name="survey-iframe-SI_6tb..." data-name="embedded-iframe-SI_6..." allow="local-network-access" style="border-radi

Description

Frames must have an accessible name. Detected by axe-core rule frame-title on 15 of 2061 scanned pages (15 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://medicare.gov/publication-ordering/12181-S.
Locate the element: iframe[height="100%"]
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule frame-title against WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited manipulation/strength (13.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited manipulation/strength — 13.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Give every <iframe> a descriptive title attribute.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/frame-title?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Serious axe color-contrast WCAG 2.0 AA Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds (WCAG 1.4.3) 1/2061 pages · 4 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-6e1eb3e9
Pattern ID: VS-be8d563e
Combined ID: VS-6e1eb3e9 (pattern VS-be8d563e) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 AA
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: axe-core — Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds [color-contrast]
Example URL: https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/help/medicare-savings-programs
XPath / selector: .table-wrapper:nth-child(4) > table > thead > tr > th:nth-child(3) > .help-drawer[data-drawer-id="109301"][data-size="std"] > .ds-c-drawer__toggle.ds-c-drawer__toggle--inline.ds-c-help-drawer__toggle
History: first seen 2026-W39, last seen 2026-W39 (1 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<button class="ds-c-button ds-c-button--ghost ds-c-drawer__toggle ds-c-drawer__toggle--inline ds-c-help-drawer__toggle" type="button">

Description

Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds. Detected by axe-core rule color-contrast on 1 of 2061 scanned pages (4 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/help/medicare-savings-programs.
Locate the element: .table-wrapper:nth-child(4) > table > thead > tr > th:nth-child(3) > .help-drawer[data-drawer-id="109301"][data-size="std"] > .ds-c-drawer__toggle.ds-c-drawer__toggle--inline.ds-c-help-drawer__toggle
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule color-contrast against WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum).

Impact

Affects Limited vision (2.4%), Without color perception (4.5%).

Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Without color perception — 4.5% of population

Affected pages

/basics/costs/help/medicare-savings-programs

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Increase the contrast between text and its background to at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text). Check both light and dark modes.

Drupal tip: Check your Drupal theme's base CSS. Themes like Olivero and Bartik have contrast issues in default color schemes — override failing color pairs in your subtheme's style.css.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/color-contrast?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Serious axe region Best Practice All page content should be contained by landmarks (WCAG criterion undetermined) 1722/2061 pages · 3447 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-e5af4051
Pattern ID: VS-f18df681
Combined ID: VS-e5af4051 (pattern VS-f18df681) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — All page content should be contained by landmarks [region]
Example URL: http://medicare.gov/publication-ordering/11377
XPath / selector: .ds-u-clearfix
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<div class="ds-u-clearfix form-block__intro">

Description

All page content should be contained by landmarks. Detected by axe-core rule region on 1722 of 2061 scanned pages (3447 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open http://medicare.gov/publication-ordering/11377.
Locate the element: .ds-u-clearfix
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule region.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 1722 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Wrap all page content in landmarks (header, nav, main, footer) so users can navigate by region.

Drupal tip: Use Drupal's region system (header, navigation, main, sidebar, footer) and map each to an HTML5 landmark element in your theme's page.html.twig.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/region?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r17 WCAG 2.0 A aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements (WCAG 4.1.2) 446/2061 pages · 459 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-cfd31738
Pattern ID: VS-f6cf30ff
Combined ID: VS-cfd31738 (pattern VS-f6cf30ff) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements [sia-r17]
Example URL: https://www.medicare.gov/publication-ordering/02179
XPath / selector: <div class="search-block__content" aria-hidden="true" id="search_form_block-content">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r17 on 446 of 2061 scanned pages (459 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.medicare.gov/publication-ordering/02179.
Locate the element: <div class="search-block__content" aria-hidden="true" id="search_form_block-content">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r17 against WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited manipulation/strength (13.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited manipulation/strength — 13.0% of population

Affected pages

…and more — all 446 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r17

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r14 WCAG 2.1 A Accessible name of link or button matches visible label (WCAG 2.5.3) 41/2061 pages · 114 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-e227ab60
Pattern ID: VS-f7dba940
Combined ID: VS-e227ab60 (pattern VS-f7dba940) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.1 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 2.5.3 Label in Name (Level A, WCAG 2.1)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Accessible name of link or button matches visible label [sia-r14]
Example URL: http://medicare.gov/basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms
XPath / selector: <a href="/basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms/enrollment" class="card__cta ds-c-button ds-c-button--solid" aria-labelledby="card-title-block-1076" aria-describedby="card-summary-block-1076">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

Accessible name of link or button matches visible label. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r14 on 41 of 2061 scanned pages (114 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open http://medicare.gov/basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms.
Locate the element: <a href="/basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms/enrollment" class="card__cta ds-c-button ds-c-button--solid" aria-labelledby="card-title-block-1076" aria-describedby="card-summary-block-1076">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r14 against WCAG 2.5.3 Label in Name.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Without speech (0.5%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Without speech — 0.5% of population

Affected pages

…and more — all 41 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r14

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r69 WCAG 2.0 AA Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced) (WCAG 1.4.3) 12/2061 pages · 86 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-8024475d
Pattern ID: VS-f7e99f4b
Combined ID: VS-8024475d (pattern VS-f7e99f4b) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 AA
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced) [sia-r69]
Example URL: http://medicare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-use-disorder
XPath / selector: text: "For finding the care you need"
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced). Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r69 on 12 of 2061 scanned pages (86 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open http://medicare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-use-disorder.
Locate the element: text: "For finding the care you need"
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r69 against WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum).

Impact

Affects Limited vision (2.4%), Without color perception (4.5%).

Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Without color perception — 4.5% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Increase text contrast to meet WCAG AA (4.5:1, or 3:1 for large text).

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r69

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r12 WCAG 2.0 A Button has accessible name (WCAG 4.1.2) 12/2061 pages · 24 instances · possible duplicate Likely template

Bug ID: VS-e6df4b9b
Pattern ID: VS-29f9f921
Combined ID: VS-e6df4b9b (pattern VS-29f9f921) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.0 A
Obligation: required
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Button has accessible name [sia-r12]
Example URL: https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare?guidedSearch=HomeHealth
XPath / selector: <button id="_r_8_" data-testid="location-field-mobile-trigger" type="button" class="location-field__mobile-trigger">
History: first seen 2026-W38, last seen 2026-W39 (2 wk)
Possible duplicate: Same WCAG SC covered by axe report VS-63027f0f (pattern VS-3f76c7ea). If axe and this engine flag the same element, the axe report takes precedence — mark this as duplicate in JIRA.

Description

Button has accessible name. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r12 on 12 of 2061 scanned pages (24 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare?guidedSearch=HomeHealth.
Locate the element: <button id="_r_8_" data-testid="location-field-mobile-trigger" type="button" class="location-field__mobile-trigger">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r12 against WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

Impact

Affects Without vision (1.0%), Limited vision (2.4%), Limited manipulation/strength (13.0%).

Without vision — 1.0% of population
Limited vision — 2.4% of population
Limited manipulation/strength — 13.0% of population

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Give the button an accessible name via text, aria-label, or aria-labelledby.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r12

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r111 WCAG 2.x AAA Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced) (WCAG 2.5.5) 517/2061 pages · 17349 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-1370cf5d
Pattern ID: VS-cb53cc4d
Combined ID: VS-1370cf5d (pattern VS-cb53cc4d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation: aspirational
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 2.5.5 Target Size (Enhanced) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.1)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced) [sia-r111]
Example URL: https://www.medicare.gov/publication-ordering/02179
XPath / selector: <a href="/" data-listener-attached="true">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced). Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r111 on 517 of 2061 scanned pages (17349 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.medicare.gov/publication-ordering/02179.
Locate the element: <a href="/" data-listener-attached="true">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r111 against WCAG 2.5.5 Target Size (Enhanced).

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 517 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r111

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r73 WCAG 2.x AAA Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 (WCAG 1.4.8) 517/2061 pages · 5490 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-4282b20e
Pattern ID: VS-2208081b
Combined ID: VS-4282b20e (pattern VS-2208081b) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation: aspirational
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.8 Visual Presentation (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 [sia-r73]
Example URL: https://www.medicare.gov/publication-ordering/02179
XPath / selector: <p>
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r73 on 517 of 2061 scanned pages (5490 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.medicare.gov/publication-ordering/02179.
Locate the element: <p>
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r73 against WCAG 1.4.8 Visual Presentation.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 517 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r73

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r57 Undetermined Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard (WCAG criterion undetermined) 475/2061 pages · 2971 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-e787ae06
Pattern ID: VS-c18be945
Combined ID: VS-e787ae06 (pattern VS-c18be945) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard [sia-r57]
Example URL: https://www.medicare.gov/publication-ordering/02179
XPath / selector: text: " Important updates, straight to your inbox "
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r57 on 475 of 2061 scanned pages (2971 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.medicare.gov/publication-ordering/02179.
Locate the element: text: " Important updates, straight to your inbox "
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r57.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 475 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r57

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r66 WCAG 2.x AAA Text has enhanced contrast (WCAG 1.4.6) 258/2061 pages · 621 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-8e296f64
Pattern ID: VS-646b1e0b
Combined ID: VS-8e296f64 (pattern VS-646b1e0b) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation: aspirational
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Text has enhanced contrast [sia-r66]
Example URL: https://medicare.gov/coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions
XPath / selector: text: "Feedback"
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

Text has enhanced contrast. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r66 on 258 of 2061 scanned pages (621 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://medicare.gov/coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions.
Locate the element: text: "Feedback"
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r66 against WCAG 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced).

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 258 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Increase text contrast to meet WCAG AAA (7:1).

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r66

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r78 Undetermined Table header has scope (WCAG criterion undetermined) 145/2061 pages · 222 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-d4e2d5d6
Pattern ID: VS-2cd767ca
Combined ID: VS-d4e2d5d6 (pattern VS-2cd767ca) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Table header has scope [sia-r78]
Example URL: https://medicare.gov/coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions
XPath / selector: <h2 class="text-align-center ds-u-padding-x--4 ds-u-md-padding-x--0 ds-u-margin-bottom--0">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

Table header has scope. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r78 on 145 of 2061 scanned pages (222 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://medicare.gov/coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions.
Locate the element: <h2 class="text-align-center ds-u-padding-x--4 ds-u-md-padding-x--0 ds-u-margin-bottom--0">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r78.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 145 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r78

Triage status Notes

Moderate axe heading-order Best Practice Heading levels should only increase by one (WCAG criterion undetermined) 43/2061 pages · 43 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-99e6ff9b
Pattern ID: VS-d25f622d
Combined ID: VS-99e6ff9b (pattern VS-d25f622d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Heading levels should only increase by one [heading-order]
Example URL: https://medicare.gov/publications/search/all-non-english-pubs?page=4
XPath / selector: .layout__column.ds-l-col--12 > h3:nth-child(1)
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<h3>Polish</h3>

Description

Heading levels should only increase by one. Detected by axe-core rule heading-order on 43 of 2061 scanned pages (43 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://medicare.gov/publications/search/all-non-english-pubs?page=4.
Locate the element: .layout__column.ds-l-col--12 > h3:nth-child(1)
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule heading-order.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

…and more — all 43 pages (CSV).

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Use heading levels in order (h1 → h2 → h3) without skipping; structure, not size.

Drupal tip: Drupal Views and blocks can insert headings at arbitrary levels. In the Views UI, set "Title tag" for each display. For block titles, configure the heading level in the block's layout settings.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/heading-order?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r53 Undetermined Headings are structured hierarchically (WCAG criterion undetermined) 13/2061 pages · 13 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-6705cece
Pattern ID: VS-f054f4a4
Combined ID: VS-6705cece (pattern VS-f054f4a4) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Headings are structured hierarchically [sia-r53]
Example URL: https://medicare.gov/publications/search/all-non-english-pubs?page=1
XPath / selector: <h3>
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

Headings are structured hierarchically. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r53 on 13 of 2061 scanned pages (13 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://medicare.gov/publications/search/all-non-english-pubs?page=1.
Locate the element: <h3>
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r53.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Use headings in a logical, non-skipping order.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r53

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r87 Undetermined First focusable element is link to main content (WCAG criterion undetermined) 12/2061 pages · 12 instances Likely template

Bug ID: VS-b217d5d3
Pattern ID: VS-aa242c2d
Combined ID: VS-b217d5d3 (pattern VS-aa242c2d) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — First focusable element is link to main content [sia-r87]
Example URL: https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare?guidedSearch=HomeHealth
XPath / selector: {"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

Description

First focusable element is link to main content. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r87 on 12 of 2061 scanned pages (12 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare?guidedSearch=HomeHealth.
Locate the element: {"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r87.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r87

Triage status Notes

Moderate axe page-has-heading-one Best Practice Page should contain a level-one heading (WCAG criterion undetermined) 9/2061 pages · 9 instances

Bug ID: VS-76f781fc
Pattern ID: VS-fa44f293
Combined ID: VS-76f781fc (pattern VS-fa44f293) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Page should contain a level-one heading [page-has-heading-one]
Example URL: http://medicare.gov/publications/search/item/112371
XPath / selector: html
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#" class=" js">

Description

Page should contain a level-one heading. Detected by axe-core rule page-has-heading-one on 9 of 2061 scanned pages (9 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open http://medicare.gov/publications/search/item/112371.
Locate the element: html
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule page-has-heading-one.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/page-has-heading-one?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate axe landmark-one-main Best Practice Document should have one main landmark (WCAG criterion undetermined) 3/2061 pages · 3 instances

Bug ID: VS-926f7c8f
Pattern ID: VS-d5d82446
Combined ID: VS-926f7c8f (pattern VS-d5d82446) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Document should have one main landmark [landmark-one-main]
Example URL: https://medicare.gov/my/medicare-complaint
XPath / selector: html
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<html lang="en" data-react-helmet="lang">

Description

Document should have one main landmark. Detected by axe-core rule landmark-one-main on 3 of 2061 scanned pages (3 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://medicare.gov/my/medicare-complaint.
Locate the element: html
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule landmark-one-main.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Each page should have exactly one <main> landmark.

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/landmark-one-main?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Minor axe empty-table-header Best Practice Table header text should not be empty (WCAG criterion undetermined) 3/2061 pages · 3 instances

Bug ID: VS-3a2f2791
Pattern ID: VS-d69fc059
Combined ID: VS-3a2f2791 (pattern VS-d69fc059) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Best Practice
Obligation: advisory
Handling: review
WCAG SC: Best Practice — not a WCAG requirement
Rule: axe-core — Table header text should not be empty [empty-table-header]
Example URL: https://medicare.gov/account/login/help
XPath / selector: thead > tr > th:nth-child(1)
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (16 wk)

HTML snippet — use this to validate the finding without re-running the tool

<th class="">&nbsp;</th>

Description

Table header text should not be empty. Detected by axe-core rule empty-table-header on 3 of 2061 scanned pages (3 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://medicare.gov/account/login/help.
Locate the element: thead > tr > th:nth-child(1)
Confirm the axe-core finding for rule empty-table-header.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: axe-core, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://dequeuniversity.com/rules/axe/4.12/empty-table-header?application=axeAPI

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r18 Undetermined aria attribute is permitted for element role (WCAG criterion undetermined) 2/2061 pages · 2 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-b9cde055
Pattern ID: VS-e05344b9
Combined ID: VS-b9cde055 (pattern VS-e05344b9) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — aria attribute is permitted for element role [sia-r18]
Example URL: https://www.medicare.gov/account/create-account?Lang=es-mx
XPath / selector: @aria-invalid="false"
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (12 wk)

Description

aria attribute is permitted for element role. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r18 on 2 of 2061 scanned pages (2 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.medicare.gov/account/create-account?Lang=es-mx.
Locate the element: @aria-invalid="false"
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r18.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

How to fix: Only use ARIA states/properties that are allowed on this element/role.

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r18

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r80 WCAG 2.x AAA Scrollable element is keyboard accessible (WCAG 1.4.8) 1/2061 pages · 2 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-5523cc85
Pattern ID: VS-388b5438
Combined ID: VS-5523cc85 (pattern VS-388b5438) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: WCAG 2.x AAA
Obligation: aspirational
Handling: review
WCAG SC: 1.4.8 Visual Presentation (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Scrollable element is keyboard accessible [sia-r80]
Example URL: https://www.medicare.gov/account/create-account?Lang=es-mx
XPath / selector: <p class="ds-text-heading--sm">
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (9 wk)

Description

Scrollable element is keyboard accessible. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r80 on 1 of 2061 scanned pages (2 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://www.medicare.gov/account/create-account?Lang=es-mx.
Locate the element: <p class="ds-text-heading--sm">
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r80 against WCAG 1.4.8 Visual Presentation.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

/account/create-account

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r80

Triage status Notes

Moderate alfa sia-r61 Undetermined Form field label is visible (WCAG criterion undetermined) 1/2061 pages · 1 instances Likely content

Bug ID: VS-77f1edf6
Pattern ID: VS-7118fead
Combined ID: VS-77f1edf6 (pattern VS-7118fead) — use this format in JIRA/spreadsheets to filter by instance or pattern
WCAG category: Undetermined
Obligation: unmapped
Handling: review
WCAG SC: undetermined
Rule: Siteimprove Alfa — Form field label is visible [sia-r61]
Example URL: https://medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/ready-to-buy/spanish-medigap-open-enrollment
XPath / selector: {"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys
History: first seen 2026-W24, last seen 2026-W39 (15 wk)

Description

Form field label is visible. Detected by Siteimprove Alfa rule sia-r61 on 1 of 2061 scanned pages (1 instances).

Steps to reproduce

Open https://medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/ready-to-buy/spanish-medigap-open-enrollment.
Locate the element: {"type":"document","children":[{"type":"type","name":"html","publicId":null,"sys
Confirm the Siteimprove Alfa finding for rule sia-r61.

Impact

Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Affected pages

/health-drug-plans/medigap/ready-to-buy/spanish-medigap-open-enrollment

Testing environment

Automated: Siteimprove Alfa, headless Chromium (Playwright). Manual AT verification: Not captured by automated scan — requires manual testing.

Suggested fix

See remediation guidance: https://alfa.siteimprove.com/rules/sia-r61

Triage status Notes

Deque axe-core findings

Rule-level axe-core summary (7 rule type(s))

Each failing rule links out to the axe-core documentation. For full element-level detail including HTML snippets and XPaths, see the bug reports above.

axe-core rules failing in 2026-W39, by pages affected
Rule	Impact	Pages affected	Instances	Example pages	All affected
All page content should be contained by landmarks [region]	moderate	1722	3447	/publication-ordering/11377 /coverage/emergency-department-services /publication-ordering/02179	all 1722 pages (CSV)
Heading levels should only increase by one [heading-order]	moderate	43	43	/publications/search/all-non-english-pubs /publications/search/all-non-english-pubs /publications/search/all-non-english-pubs	all 43 pages (CSV)
Frames must have an accessible name [frame-title]	serious	15	15	/publication-ordering/12181-S /publication-ordering/11525 /publication-ordering/12217-S	all 15 pages (CSV)
Page should contain a level-one heading [page-has-heading-one]	moderate	9	9	/publications/search/item/112371 /publications/search/item/112376 /health-drug-plans/medigap/ready-to-buy/spanish-medigap-open-enrollment	all 9 pages (CSV)
Table header text should not be empty [empty-table-header]	minor	3	3	/account/login/help /account/login/help /account/login/help	all 3 pages (CSV)
Document should have one main landmark [landmark-one-main]	moderate	3	3	/my/medicare-complaint /my/medicare-complaint /my/medicare-complaint	all 3 pages (CSV)
Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds [color-contrast]	serious	1	4	/basics/costs/help/medicare-savings-programs	all 1 pages (CSV)

Siteimprove Alfa findings

Rule-level Alfa summary (14 rule type(s))

Rule-level summary from Siteimprove Alfa (W3C ACT-based). Findings that overlap with axe-core on the same WCAG success criterion are noted as possible duplicates in the bug reports above.

Alfa rules failing in 2026-W39, by pages affected
Rule	Impact	Pages affected	Instances	Example pages	All affected
Target size is at least 44×44 CSS pixels (Enhanced) [sia-r111]	n/a	517	17349	/publication-ordering/02179 /coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions /basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms	all 517 pages (CSV)
Text has minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 [sia-r73]	n/a	517	5490	/publication-ordering/02179 /coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions /basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms	all 517 pages (CSV)
Scrolling content can be accessed by keyboard [sia-r57]	n/a	475	2971	/publication-ordering/02179 /coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions /basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms	all 475 pages (CSV)
aria-hidden element does not contain focusable elements [sia-r17]	n/a	446	459	/publication-ordering/02179 /coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions /basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms	all 446 pages (CSV)
Text has enhanced contrast [sia-r66]	n/a	258	621	/coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions /basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms /account/create-account	all 258 pages (CSV)
Table header has scope [sia-r78]	n/a	145	222	/coverage/blood-sugar-control-solutions /coverage/alcohol-misuse-screenings-counseling /coverage/radiation-therapy	all 145 pages (CSV)
Accessible name of link or button matches visible label [sia-r14]	n/a	41	114	/basics/forms-publications-mailings/forms /basics/get-started-with-medicare /basics/forms-publications-mailings	all 41 pages (CSV)
Headings are structured hierarchically [sia-r53]	n/a	13	13	/publications/search/all-non-english-pubs /publications/search/all-non-english-pubs /publications/search/all-non-english-pubs	all 13 pages (CSV)
Text has sufficient color contrast (Enhanced) [sia-r69]	n/a	12	86	/coverage/mental-health-substance-use-disorder /coverage/mental-health-substance-use-disorder /providers-services/claims-appeals-complaints/appeals/original-medicare	all 12 pages (CSV)
Button has accessible name [sia-r12]	n/a	12	24	/care-compare /care-compare /care-compare	all 12 pages (CSV)
First focusable element is link to main content [sia-r87]	n/a	12	12	/care-compare /care-compare /care-compare	all 12 pages (CSV)
aria attribute is permitted for element role [sia-r18]	n/a	2	2	/account/create-account /providers-services/claims-appeals-complaints/claims/share-your-medicare-claims/connected-apps	all 2 pages (CSV)
Scrollable element is keyboard accessible [sia-r80]	n/a	1	2	/account/create-account	all 1 pages (CSV)
Form field label is visible [sia-r61]	n/a	1	1	/health-drug-plans/medigap/ready-to-buy/spanish-medigap-open-enrollment	all 1 pages (CSV)

Unique accessibility issues (axe + Alfa consolidated)

axe and Alfa both implement W3C ACT rules, so the same issue is often caught by both. These are deduplicated by ACT rule and page, so a shared finding counts once.

Unique issues (rule × page): 4248
Caught by both engines: 0 highest confidence
axe only: 1796
Alfa only: 2452

No issues were flagged by both engines on the same pages this week.