The demographics and clinical statuses of Medicare Advantage enrollees have been getting more diverse over time, according to research published March 10 in the American Journal of Managed Care.
The researchers reviewed enrollment files and pharmacy data spanning 2012 to 2022, looking at over 5 million first-time MA beneficiaries.
Here are four takeaways from the study:
- Socioeconomic diversity has been on the rise. The share of dually eligible beneficiaries increased from 13% to 23%, and the share of low-income subsidy recipients went up from 19.4% to 27%.
- Special needs plan enrollees increased from 2.6% to 14.8% over the analyzed period. MA enrollees who gained Medicare eligibility due to disability made up about one-third of the sample.
- Black beneficiaries rose from 12.7% to 18.3%.
- Researchers identified a relatively small, but statistically significant, average increase of two diagnoses per 100 beneficiaries per year, hinting at some clinical diversity over time.
