Medicare Advantage Is Close to Becoming the Predominant Way That Medicare Beneficiaries Get Their Health Coverage and Care

As Medicare Advantage continues to grow, a gradual but significant reshaping of the Medicare program is taking place.

August 25, 2022 - Press Release
Kaiser Family Foundation

A new KFF analysis finds that nearly half of eligible Medicare beneficiaries ・28.4 million out of 58.6 million Medicare beneficiaries overall ・are now enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. That represents a more than doubling of the share of the eligible Medicare population enrolled in such plans from 2007 to 2022 (19% to 48%). Enrollment is projected to cross the 50 percent threshold as soon as next year, making Medicare Advantage the predominant way that Medicare beneficiaries with Parts A and B get their coverage and care.

The rise of Medicare Advantage signals the transformation of Medicare to a program in which a majority of people receive benefits by enrolling in plans offered by private health insurance companies.

The new analysis is one of three released today by KFF in which researchers examine various aspects of Medicare Advantage. It provides the latest data on Medicare Advantage enrollment, including the types of plans in which Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled, and how enrollment varies across geographic areas. A companion analysis describes Medicare Advantage premiums, out-of-pocket limits, cost sharing, extra benefits offered, and prior authorization requirements. A third examines trends in bonus payments to Medicare Advantage plans, enrollment in plans in bonus status, and how these measures vary across plan types and firms.

Among other key findings:

The full analyses are available online and include:

(KFF has adjusted its methodology from previous years to calculate the share of eligible Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage, meaning they must have both Part A and B coverage. This aligns with how the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and others describe this population. The share enrolled in Medicare Advantage would be somewhat smaller using the old method. See the methods section of the analysis.)


For more data and analyses about Medicare Advantage, visit kff.org

CONTACT:

Chris Lee | (202) 654-1403 | clee@kff.org