Disregard what you’re hearing in Medicare Advantage ads and other promises about Medicare Advantage. It’s all marketing hype. In truth, enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan still remains a huge gamble to your health and, if you need complex care, possibly your life. Prior authorization denials will continue to be rampant and access to physicians and hospitals will continue to be quite restricted in most Medicare Advantage plans.
Yes, insurers will offer a total of 5,532 Medicare Advantage plans in 2027. But, don’t expect to see premium decreases or lower costs if you enroll in Medicare Advantage, warns Rob Andrews, CEO of the Health Transformation Alliance. Travis Morgan of DecisionRx agrees that you are not likely to see lower costs in Medicare Advantage.
Deductibles and copays in Medicare Advantage are rising. And, of course, any time your Medicare Advantage plan second-guesses your treating physician and denies coverage for the care you need, the total cost is on you. Unfortunately, inappropriate denials happen far too often, especially for people needing complex and cosly care. The Office of the Inspector General calls these denials “widespread and persistent.”
Moreover, the federal data show that Medicare Advantage plans are further restricting their provider networks, making it all the harder to access needed care.
Medicare Advantage plans are also cutting many additional benefits, such as coverage for over-the-counter drugs, food and transportation to the doctor. They might still be offering some hearing or dental or vision coverage. But, keep in mind that these benefits appear to be worth little. It can be challenging to find a doctor to provide the services and, when you do, they often come with high out-of-pocket costs.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- Medicare Advantage delivers unreliable coverage
- More reasons not to trust Medicare insurance agents
- Ignore Medicare Advantage ads; they misrepresent costs and benefits
- More hospitals dropping Medicare Advantage plans, favoring traditional Medicare
- Ten ways Medicare Advantage plans differ from traditional Medicare
