Recent research has examined how Medicare Advantage plans differ on end-of-life care and costs than fee-for-service Medicare.
Here are five recent studies on Medicare Advantage:
- Medicare Advantage plans available in the most socially vulnerable counties in the U.S. tend to have lower star ratings than those in less vulnerable counties, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
- Medicare Advantage enrollees were less likely to receive burdensome treatments or transfers in the last months of life compared to their peers in traditional Medicare, a study in JAMA Health Forum found. MA enrollees were also more likely to receive home-based care at the end of life. This home-based care can improve quality but can also leave patients without adequate assistance after a hospitalization, the study's authors wrote.
- Medicare Advantage enrollees spend around $2,500 less on healthcare costs on average than traditional Medicare enrollees, according to an independent analysis by ATI Advisory. The analysis was commissioned by the Better Medicare Alliance.
- Dual-eligible special needs plan enrollees are twice as likely to have prior authorization requests denied compared to all other Medicare Advantage members, according to a report from KFF.
- Limiting the use of health risk assessments in Medicare Advantage could save the federal government between $4.5 billion and $12.3 billion each year, a study published in Health Affairs found.