Medicare Blog

what percentage of medicare choose advantage

by Edwardo Cruickshank Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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In 2021, more than 26 million people are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, accounting for 42 percent of the total Medicare population, and $343 billion (or 46%) of total federal Medicare spending (net of premiums).Jun 21, 2021

Full Answer

What percentage of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans?

At least 50 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans in two states (MN, FL) and Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico has the highest Medicare Advantage penetration, with 80 percent of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

How many people Choose Medicare Advantage over traditional Medicare?

Four in ten of them chose Medicare Advantage over traditional Medicare. People in Delaware, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Vermont, as well as Washington DC, tend to prefer traditional Medicare. Fewer than 11 percent of them enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans when they first enrolled in Medicare.

What is a Medicare Advantage plan?

A Medicare Advantage Plan is another way to get your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage. Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called “Part C” are offered by Medicare-approved private companies that must follow rules set by Medicare. Most Medicare Advantage Plans include drug coverage (Part D).

What percentage of enrollees are in Medicare Advantage plans with 3 stars?

The share of enrollees in plans with 3 stars (average ratings) declined by half from 6 percent in 2019 to 3 percent in 2020. For many years, CMS has posted quality ratings of Medicare Advantage plans to provide beneficiaries with additional information about plans offered in their area.

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What percent of Medicare recipients have Medicare Advantage?

Medicare served nearly 63 million beneficiaries in 2019. 62 percent were enrolled in Part A or Part B, and the rest (37 percent) were in Medicare Advantage (Part C). 74 percent were enrolled in Part D drug coverage, 13 percent had private drug coverage, and nearly 9 percent had no drug coverage.

What percentage of people choose Medicare Advantage plans?

A team of economists who analyzed Medicare Advantage plan selections found that only about 10 percent of seniors chose the optimal Medicare Advantage plan. People were overspending by more than $1,000 per year on average, and more than 10 percent of people were overspending by more than $2,000 per year!

How popular is Medicare Advantage?

All that marketing seems to be working. Recently, 42 percent of Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in Advantage plans, up from 31 percent in 2016, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Those numbers include 50 percent of Black and 54 percent of Hispanic enrollees vs. 36 percent of whites in 2018.

Why are more people choosing Medicare Advantage?

Higher Quality and Better Outcomes. Medicare Advantage provides beneficiaries with personalized, higher-quality care that leads to better outcomes. Research shows: Hospital readmission rates are 13% to 20% lower in Medicare Advantage than in Medicare Fee-For-Service.

Why do doctors not like Medicare Advantage plans?

If they don't say under budget, they end up losing money. Meaning, you may not receive the full extent of care. Thus, many doctors will likely tell you they do not like Medicare Advantage plans because private insurance companies make it difficult for them to get paid for their services.

What is the biggest disadvantage of Medicare Advantage?

Medicare Advantage can become expensive if you're sick, due to uncovered copays. Additionally, a plan may offer only a limited network of doctors, which can interfere with a patient's choice. It's not easy to change to another plan. If you decide to switch to a Medigap policy, there often are lifetime penalties.

Who is the largest Medicare Advantage provider?

United HealthcareUnited Healthcare Nearly three-quarters (74%) of UHC's HMOs have no monthly premiums. All offer vision and hearing benefits and 95% offer dental coverage. UHC is the nation's largest health insurer, with nearly 49.5 million members, including more than six million Medicare Advantage members.

Who sells the most Medicare Advantage plans?

UnitedHealthcareStandout feature: UnitedHealthcare offers the largest Medicare Advantage network of all companies, with more than 1 million network care providers. UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans and offers plans in nearly three-quarters of U.S. counties.

Is a Medigap plan better than an Advantage plan?

If you are in good health with few medical expenses, Medicare Advantage can be a suitable and money-saving choice. But if you have serious medical conditions with expensive treatment and care costs, Medigap is generally better.

What percentage of seniors are on original Medicare?

Only traditional Medicare offers these benefits. Kaiser found that 71 percent of people enrolling in Medicare for the first time chose traditional Medicare, as compared with 29 percent who chose Medicare Advantage.

What percentage of people are on original Medicare?

In 2020, 62.6 million people were enrolled in the Medicare program, which equates to 18.4 percent of all people in the United States. Around 54 million of them were beneficiaries for reasons of age, while the rest were beneficiaries due to various disabilities.

Do more people have Medicare or Medicare Advantage?

Data represent weighted counts of beneficiaries, with approximately 34.1 million beneficiaries in traditional Medicare, 17.6 million beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage, and 2.6 million beneficiaries in SNPs. Data: Analysis of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, 2018.

How many people will be in Medicare Advantage in 2021?

Over the last decade, the role of Medicare Advantage, the private plan alternative to traditional Medicare, has grown. In 2021, more than 26 million people are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, accounting for 42 percent of the total Medicare population, and $343 billion (or 46%) of total federal Medicare spending (net of premiums).

How many Medicare Advantage enrollees will be in 2021?

Nearly one in five Medicare Advantage enrollees (19%) are in group plans offered to retirees by employers and unions in 2021. Nearly 4.9 million Medicare Advantage enrollees are in a group plan offered to retirees by an employer or union. While this is roughly the same share of enrollment since 2014 ...

What percentage of Medicare beneficiaries are in 2021?

The share of Medicare Advantage enrollees varies across the country: in 26 states and Puerto Rico, at least 40 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans in 2021, and at least 50 percent in Florida, Minnesota and Puerto Rico. In a growing number of counties, more than half of all Medicare beneficiaries are in ...

How many people will be enrolled in Medicare in 2021?

In 2021, more than four in ten (42%) Medicare beneficiaries – 26.4 million people out of 62.7 million Medicare beneficiaries overall – are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans; this share has steadily increased over time since the early 2000s. Between 2020 and 2021, total Medicare Advantage enrollment grew by about 2.4 million beneficiaries, or 10 percent – nearly the same growth rate as the prior year. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that the share of all Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans will rise to about 51 percent by 2030 (Figure 2)

Why is it important to monitor Medicare Advantage?

It will also be important to monitor how well beneficiaries are being served in both Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare, in terms of costs, benefits, quality of care, patient outcomes, and access to providers, with particular attention to those with the greatest needs.

What states have Medicare Advantage plans?

At least 50 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans in two states (MN, FL) and Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico has the highest Medicare Advantage penetration, with 80 percent of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Which company has the largest Medicare Advantage enrollment?

UnitedHealthcare and Humana have consistently accounted for a large share of Medicare Advantage enrollment. UnitedHealthcare has had the largest share of Medicare Advantage enrollment since 2010. Its share of Medicare Advantage enrollment has grown from 19 percent in 2010 to 27 percent in 2021. Humana has also had a high share ...

What percentage of Medicare Advantage plans are high quality?

11. The majority (78%) of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans that receive high quality ratings (4 or more stars) and related bonus payments. In 2020, more than three-quarters (78%) of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans with quality ratings of 4 or more stars, an increase from 2019 (72%).

How many Medicare Advantage enrollees are in a plan that requires higher cost sharing than the Part A hospital

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in a plan that requires higher cost sharing than the Part A hospital deductible in traditional Medicare for a 7-day inpatient stay, and more than 7 in 10 (72%) are in a plan that requires higher cost sharing for a 10-day inpatient stay.

How much does Medicare Advantage pay in 2020?

However, 18 percent of beneficiaries in MA-PDs (2.8 million enrollees) pay at least $50 per month, including 6 percent who pay $100 or more per month, in addition to the monthly Part B premium. The MA-PD premium includes both the cost of Medicare-covered Part A and Part B benefits and Part D prescription drug coverage. Among MA-PD enrollees who pay a premium for their plan, the average premium is $63 per month. Altogether, including those who do not pay a premium, the average MA-PD enrollee pays $25 per month in 2020.

How much is the deductible for Medicare Advantage 2020?

In contrast, under traditional Medicare, when beneficiaries require an inpatient hospital stay, there is a deductible of $1,408 in 2020 (for one spell of illness) with no copayments until day 60 of an inpatient stay.

What percentage of Medicare beneficiaries are in Miami-Dade County?

Within states, Medicare Advantage penetration varies widely across counties. For example, in Florida, 71 percent of all beneficiaries living in Miami-Dade County are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans compared to only 14 percent of beneficiaries living in Monroe County (Key West).

How many people will be enrolled in Medicare Advantage in 2020?

Enrollment in Medicare Advantage has doubled over the past decade. In 2020, nearly four in ten (39%) of all Medicare beneficiaries – 24.1 million people out of 62.0 million Medicare beneficiaries overall – are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans; this rate has steadily increased over time since the early 2000s.

What is the analysis of Medicare Advantage 2020?

It also includes analyses of Medicare Advantage plans’ extra benefits and prior authorization requirements. The analysis also highlights changes pertaining to Medicare Advantage coverage that have occurred in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 crisis. 1. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage has doubled over the past decade.

What to think about when choosing between Medicare and Medicare Advantage?

Four things to think about when choosing between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. People with serious health needs more likely to disenroll from Medicare Advantage plans. New study finds Medicare Advantage plan enrollees end up in lower quality nursing homes than people in traditional Medicare.

What percentage of people in Medicare choose traditional?

Kaiser found that 71 percent of people enrolling in Medicare for the first time chose traditional Medicare, as compared with 29 percent who chose Medicare Advantage.

Which states have Medicare Advantage?

People in Delaware, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Vermont, as well as Washington DC, tend to prefer traditional Medicare. Fewer than 11 percent of them enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans when they first enrolled in Medicare.

Does Medicare Advantage cover home care?

With Medicare Advantage plans, there’s compelling evidence that for-profit insurers wrongly delay and deny care a significant amount of the time. And, we have reason to believe they limit care, covering fewer physical therapy and home care visits.

Is Medicare Advantage less likely to be enrolled in Medicaid?

People with Medicaid and Medicare, dual -eligibles, also were far less likely to enroll in Medicare Advantage than people not eligible for Medicaid. In 2016, 18 percent of dual-eligibles signed up for Medicare Advantage as compared to 31 percent of people solely eligible for Medicare. Here’s more from Just Care:

What percentage of doctors accept Medicare?

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 93 percent of primary physicians participate in Medicare. That means chances are pretty good that any doctor you are currently seeing will accept Medicare and you won't have to change providers.

What are the elements of Medicare?

Under original Medicare, to get the full array of services you will likely have to enroll in four separate elements: Part A; Part B; a Part D prescription drug program; and a supplemental or Medigap policy. Physicians and hospitals have to file claims for each service with Medicare that you'll have to review.

What is Medicare Part B?

Under original Medicare, the federal government sets the premiums, deductibles and coinsurance amounts for Part A (hospitalizations) and Part B (physician and outpatient services ). For example, under Part B, beneficiaries are responsible for 20 percent of a doctor visit or lab test bill. The government also sets maximum deductible rates for the Part D prescription drug program, although premiums and copays vary by plan. Many beneficiaries who elect original Medicare also purchase a supplemental – or Medigap – policy to help defray many out-of-pocket costs, which Medicare officials estimate could run in the thousands of dollars each year. There is no annual cap on out-of-pocket costs.

Is Medicare Advantage a PPO or HMO?

Medicare Advantage employs managed care plans and, in most cases, you would have a primary care physician who would direct your care, meaning you would need a referral to a specialist. HMOs tend to have more restrictive choices of medical providers than PPOs.

Does Medicare cover dental?

While Medicare will cover most of your medical needs, there are some things the program typically doesn't pay for -— like cosmetic surgery or routine dental, vision and hearing care. But there are also differences between what services you get help paying for.

Does MA have a copay for doctor visits?

But instead of paying the 20 percent coinsurance amount for doctor visits and other Part B services, most MA plans have set copay amounts for a physician visit , and typically that means lower out-of-pocket costs than original Medicare. MA plans also have an annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses.

Is Medicare Advantage based on out-of-network providers?

Medicare Advantage plans are based around networks of providers that are usually self-contained in a specific geographic area. So, if you travel a lot or have a vacation home where you spend a lot of time, your care may not be covered if you go to out-of- network providers, or you would have to pay more for care.

What happens if you get a health care provider out of network?

If you get health care outside the plan’s network, you may have to pay the full cost. It’s important that you follow the plan’s rules, like getting prior approval for a certain service when needed. In most cases, you need to choose a primary care doctor. Certain services, like yearly screening mammograms, don’t require a referral. If your doctor or other health care provider leaves the plan’s network, your plan will notify you. You may choose another doctor in the plan’s network. HMO Point-of-Service (HMOPOS) plans are HMO plans that may allow you to get some services out-of-network for a higher copayment or coinsurance. It’s important that you follow the plan’s rules, like getting prior approval for a certain service when needed.

Do providers have to follow the terms and conditions of a health insurance plan?

The provider must follow the plan’s terms and conditions for payment, and bill the plan for the services they provide for you. However, the provider can decide at every visit whether to accept the plan and agree to treat you.

Introduction

Medicare beneficiaries can choose whether to receive their benefits from traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans, which are offered by private insurers. These plans have experienced a surge in enrollment over the past decade, and half of beneficiaries are projected to be enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan by 2025.

Findings

After excluding beneficiaries in SNPs, beneficiaries enrolled in traditional Medicare do not differ significantly from Medicare Advantage enrollees on age, income, or receipt of a Part D low-income subsidy (LIS), which helps low-income individuals pay for prescription drugs (Exhibit 1).

Policy Implications

Historically, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have been healthier than those in the traditional program, but this seems to be changing: beneficiaries now have similar characteristics and experiences regardless of coverage.

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