Milliman Report Shows $32.5B Value in Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage delivers $32.5 billion, or $123.36 per member per month, in additional value to beneficiaries, according to a report released Thursday by the Better Medicare Alliance (BMA). Hospital and physician services are 24% less expensive per month: $709.66 for MA plans per month and $935.67 for Medicare FFS. These statistics exclude administrative expenses and […]

Members of Congress Express Concern Over Biden Administration’s FFS Expansion

Medicare Advantage advocacy groups are concerned the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better reconciliation bill will, in expanding Medicare fee-for-service (FFS), disadvantage MA. Advocacy and research group Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) on Wednesday hosted Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Terri Sewell (D-Al.) to discuss the legislation further, and implications for the Part C plan under Build […]

Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries Log Almost 30% Fewer SNF Days Than Traditional Medicare

A new report comparing health outcomes for beneficiaries of Medicare Advantage (MA) and those on traditional fee-for-service Medicare put hard numbers to the differences in skilled nursing facility stays between the two groups. The findings show that MA beneficiaries spend far fewer days in SNFs than those covered by traditional Medicare. Specifically, SNF stays were […]

Medicare Advantage Growth Outpaced Traditional Medicare, 60% to 5%, Over Six Years

Medicare Advantage (MA) has seen dramatic enrollment growth over the past six years, significantly outpacing traditional Medicare, according to a report commissioned by the Better Medicare Alliance released October 15. The report, prepared by the actuarial firm Milliman, examined the growth in enrollment in MA and the similarities and differences between enrollees in that program […]

Medicare Advantage Plans Attracting Lower-Income Seniors — While Saving Them $1,600 Per Year

Medicare Advantage plans have long been a thorn in skilled nursing facilities’ sides, with lower-per day rates and increased pressure to reduce lengths of stay than traditional fee-for-service Medicare. But a new report shines a light on why seniors are increasingly choosing the plans in the first place, reinforcing recent calls to embrace working with […]

94% of Seniors Satisfied with Medicare Advantage — But Many Still Don’t Know About Managed Care

Medicare Advantage, a frequent source of headaches for skilled nursing operators, remains overwhelmingly popular among seniors, according to a new poll — and its growth has come even as many enrollees remain unaware of their options when they turn 65. About 94% of seniors with Medicare Advantage plans reported being “satisfied,” a poll commissioned by […]

Sharp Rise in Ancillary Medicare Advantage Benefits — from Adult Day to Home Care — Coming in 2020

Medicare Advantage plans are rapidly expanding the supplemental benefits recently approved by the federal government, with 116 plans offering more than one of these services for the 2020 contract year. Those supplemental benefits provide more options for care at home for beneficiaries — and could potentially represent paths away from the skilled nursing setting. In […]