Medicare Advantage 2015 Spotlight: Enrollment Market Update
Issue Brief
In this document, the ACA refers to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-148; PPACA) as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-152).
G. Jacobson, P. Neuman, and A. Damico. “At Least Half of New Medicare Advantage Enrollees Had Switched From Traditional Medicare During 2006-11,” Health Affairs, vol. 34 no. 1, p. 48-55, January 2015. Also see G. Jacobson, T. Neuman, and A. Damico. “Medigap Enrollment Among New Medicare Beneficiaries: How Many 65-Year Olds Enroll In Plans With First-Dollar Coverage?” Washington DC: Kaiser Family Foundation, April 2015. Available at: https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medigap-enrollment-among-new-medicare-beneficiaries/, Last accessed June 5, 2015.
G. Jacobson, A. Damico, T. Neuman, and M. Gold. “Medicare Advantage 2015 Data Spotlight: Overview of Plan Changes,” Washington DC: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, December 2014. Available at: https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-2015-data-spotlight-overview-of-plan-changes/
M. Gold. “Medicare Advantage in 2008.” (Table 1: PFFS Contracts by Firm and Number of Counties Covered by the Contract, 2006-2008), Kaiser Family Foundation, June 2008. Available at: https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-in-2008/
M. Gold. “Medicare’s Private Plans: A Report Card on Medicare Advantage,” Health Affairs Web Exclusive, November 24, 2008.
M. Gold, D. Phelps, G. Jacobson, and T. Neuman. “Medicare Advantage 2010 Data Spotlight: Plan Enrollment Patterns and Trends,” Washington DC: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, June 2010. Available at: https://www.kff.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/8080.pdf#page=7
F. McArdle, T. Neuman and J. Huang. “Retiree Health Benefits at the Crossroads”. Washington DC: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, April 2014. Available at: https://www.kff.org/medicare/report/retiree-health-benefits-at-the-crossroads/
Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Education Trust, “Section 11. Retiree Health Benefits.” Employer Health Benefits: 2013 Annual Survey. Washington, DC: Kaiser Family Foundation, 2013, pp. 191-199; and P. Fronstein and N. Adams. “Employment Based Retiree Health Benefits: Trends in Access and Coverage: 1997-2010.” EBRI Education and Research Institute, 2012.
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission “Chapter 13. The Medicare Advantage Program: Status Report” in Report to Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, Washington DC, March 2015. pp 313-343.
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission “Chapter 13. The Medicare Advantage Program: Status Report” in Report to Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, Washington DC, March 2015. pp 313-343 and Marsha Gold and Maria Cupples Hudson. “Analysis of the Variation in Efficiency among Medicare Advantage Plans” Research Brief Washington DC: Mathematica Policy Research, April 2013.
Marsha Gold and Giselle Casillas. “What Do We Know about Quality and Access in Medicare Advantage versus Traditional Medicare” Washington DC: Kaiser Family Foundation, November 2014. Available at: https://www.kff.org/medicare/report/what-do-we-know-about-health-care-access-and-quality-in-medicare-advantage-versus-the-traditional-medicare-program/
In the fall of 2014, we calculated that beneficiaries who were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans at that time would pay a premium of $41 per month in 2015, compared to $34 per month in 2014, which assumed they remained in the same plan. Among Medicare Advantage enrollees in 2015, the average premium actually paid by enrollees ($38 per month) is slightly lower than the amount estimated in the fall, with the difference in estimates reflecting both changes in beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans from 2014 to 2015 and shifts by enrollees among plans and plan types.
G. Jacobson, A. Damico, T. Neuman, and M. Gold. “Medicare Advantage 2015 Data Spotlight: Overview of Plan Changes,” Washington DC: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, December 2014. Available at: https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-2015-data-spotlight-overview-of-plan-changes/
In Minnesota, 67% of private plan enrollment is in cost plans, which have higher average premiums than Medicare Advantage plans.
Limits were required for regional PPOs since they were first authorized in 2006.
The files used for this analysis provide limited details on the type or extent of coverage in the Part D coverage gap that plans provide, and some additional coverage may be minimal.
Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, “Medicare Announces Quality Bonus Payment Demonstration for Medicare Health Plans,” November 2010.
G. Jacobson, C. Swoope, M. Perry, and M.C. Slosar. “How are Seniors Choosing and Changing Health Insurance Plans?” Kaiser Family Foundation, May 2014. Available at: https://www.kff.org/medicare/report/how-are-seniors-choosing-and-changing-health-insurance-plans/