Fierce Healthcare experiences that in 2022 Medicare Benefit enrollment is continuous to develop on the expense of conventional fee-for-service Medicare. They write that:
Medicare Benefit plans signed up one other 2.3 million beneficiaries for the 2022 protection yr, with this system now making up 45% of all Medicare enrollment, a brand new examine discovered.
…complete 2022 enrollment in Medicare grew by 1 million beneficiaries, a spike of 1.6% over 2021. MA plans added 2.3 million beneficiaries general, with a part of that progress coming on the expense of 1.3 million folks transitioning from conventional Medicare to MA.
As there was an inflow of beneficiaries to Medicare Benefit, there additionally has been a rise in plan alternative. Based on the Kaiser Household Basis, the typical Medicare beneficiary now has a alternative between 39 well being plans. Additional, in lots of city areas, the variety of plan decisions are even greater (see map under). In 2020, there have been twenty insurers that coming into the Medicare Benefit marketplace for the primary time, whereas solely 7 insurers exited the market,
In a commentary in Well being Affairs Forefront, J. Michael McWilliams claims that Medicare Benefit is engaging due to its “exploitation of a manipulable risk-adjustment system”. Nonetheless, Medicare Benefit plans do supply beneficiaries actual advantages. Frequent further advantages embody entry to imaginative and prescient/eyeglasses protection, health apps, telehealth entry to medical doctors, listening to aids and dental protection. Some plans (37% of particular person plans, however 87% of MA Particular Wants Plans) supply sufferers transportation to well being care visits. These advantages to sufferers shouldn’t be undervalued.
