Medicare Advantage enrollees across racial and ethnic groups have similar responses to self-reported patient experience measures, but disparities persist in clinical outcomes.
A report from CMS' Office of Minority Health and the RAND corporation compared data across race and ethnicity and sex using Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey data and Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set from 2022.
Asian American and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, Black and multiracial Medicare Advantage enrollees reported receiving the annual flu vaccine at a lower rate than the national average in 2022.
Hispanic MA enrollees rated their timely access to appointments and care lower than the national average.
The report did not find significant differences in patient-reported or clinical quality outcomes between male and female MA enrollees.
Disparities across races and ethnicities were more evident in clinical outcomes data, according to the report. The clinical care measures include prevention and screening for cancers, diabetes care outcomes, treatment for respiratory and cardiovascular conditions and other outcomes.
American Indian and Alaska Native MA enrollees had scores below the national average on fourteen clinical outcome measures, similar to the national average on eight measures and above the national average on two measures.
Asian American and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander enrollees had scores below the national average on four clinical care measures, similar to the national average for 18 measures, and above the national average for 15.
Black MA enrollees were below the national average on 15 measures, similar to the national average on 19 measures and above the national average on three measures.
Hispanic MA enrollees had scores below the national average on nine clinical care measures, similar to the national average on 20, and above the national average on eight measures.
White MA enrollees had scores similar to the national average on 34 measures and above the national average on three measures.
Read the full report here.