Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare can differ on clinical quality and costs, but most enrollees are equally satisfied with their coverage, studies published in the last few months have found.
Here are six recent findings about Medicare Advantage Becker's has reported since March 21.
- More data is needed to evaluate the quality of care Medicare Advantage beneficiaries with serious illnesses receive, a group of researchers wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers wrote that data is missing on the quality of care in Medicare Advantage and the availability of supplemental benefits, which are often used by beneficiaries with serious conditions.
- The average premium cost for Medicare Advantage plans sold on eHealth increased from $6 a month in 2022 to $9 in 2023, according to the online insurance marketplace's annual "Medicare Index Report."
- Enrollees in Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare use less postacute care in markets with higher Medicare Advantage penetration, a study published in Health Affairs found.
- Medicare Advantage outpaced traditional Medicare on most clinical quality measures in 2010 and 2017, a study published in Health Affairs found.
- Reduced Medicare Advantage benchmark payments would likely have a small effect on premiums, cost-sharing and benefits offered by MA plans, according to a study published in Health Affairs.
- Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement enrollees both reported high levels of satisfaction with their coverage, according to a survey from eHealth. In the survey, 89 percent of Medicare Advantage enrollees said they were satisfied with their coverage, and 87 percent of enrollees in Medicare supplement plans said the same.