📋 Medicare Advantage: Views of Enrollees 66-Plus (AARP Article)

[SpringIsHereVA]

FROM THE ARTICLE:

How Enrollees Feel About Their Medicare Advantage Plans.

By Teresa A. Keenan, AARP Research & Laura Mehegan, AARP Research.

Published April 08, 2025.

An AARP Research study of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries 66 and older shows high satisfaction rates among those who identify themselves as being in very good or excellent health — although those who self-identify as being in poor or fair health express less satisfaction with their plan.

USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/coverage-access/medicare-advantage-enrollee-views/

[GailL1]

I think that is probably true for several reason - 

• many current retirees are use to managed care plans and all that comes with them since they have probably had employer group healthcare coverage while they were working and understand their part of the cost and things like prior approvals and networks.
• Many may also understand that Medigap coverage especially the highly lucrative plans are expansive in the everyday world of premium increases.
• Many may also know that CMS is the same entity that regulates Traditional Medicare AND Medicare Advantage plans and also Medicare Part D plans either within a MA plan or a free standing one that the beneficiary uses with Traditional Medicare.
• Many also realize that one can change MAPA (Medicare Advantage plan with included Prescription Drug Plan) every year as their healthcare changes.
• Many also realize that their cost in the event of a catastrophic health condition is covered so that they are not completely financially destroyed by the health event(s).
•  

[SpringIsHereVA]

What are YOUR thoughts on this topic?  🤔

At the moment I DO NOT have one and probably will NEVER.

Take care,

Nicole  👵

[GailL1]

So your choice is Traditional Medicare - that’s good coverage as long as you can cover the part that Traditional Medicare does not cover 

That’s possible with 

• a Medigap plan (Medicare Supplemental)
• Dual Eligible - Medicare and Medicaid
• CHAMPVA ( Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs)
• Veterans coverage if you use the Veteran’s system and have a full coverage Priority Group
• A Retiree plan from previous employer or union
• A Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plan that works with Medicare
• A PSHB (Postal Service Health Benefits) plan that works with Medicare
• A Tri-Care (Military) plan that works with Medicare
• An (active employment) employer group health plan that works with Medicare
• or something else that works with Medicare (COBRA does NOT)

If not one of these, a large piggy-bank.  

[LG322302]

So what happens if you aren't eligible for or can't afford any of those options you've listed?  If you're like me, you go without medical care. That's why Medicare is such a scam. At a certain age, you're forced into it even if it is a terrible choice for you.

[GailL1]

@LG322302 

You have a large piggy bank to offset your cost in Traditional Medicare or you pick a [GOOD] Medicare Advantage plan, try to stay healthy and pay your cost as they occur during in medical care you have to receive.  

Medicare is NOT a scam - it is a type of insurance - Traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage.  

No medical care is without cost to somebody - even Medicaid is a cost to taxpayers.  Employer coverage shares premiums and sometimes other cost with the employee.  The ACA is just insurance that has its premiums subsidized by the taxpayers. 

I don’t know of any more reasonable insurance for those who are elderly than Medicare - the way you chose to get those Medicare benefits is up to you and your pocketbook.  For a person that has worked and contributed payroll taxes to Medicare, gets premium free Medicare Part A. As a Medicare beneficiary, one only has to pay premiums for Part B Medicare and even there, beneficiaries are only covering 25% of the cost of the Medicare Part B program - the Fed government picks up the other 75% of the cost of the Part B premium.  

These premiums cover the majority of your medical cost needs - Is that a bad deal?  Is asking that a beneficiary cover a small portion of their medical cost needs a bad thing?  I think not - and how they do it is up to them unless they qualify for more need based care and then taxpayer supply that also. 

What other plan would work better for you?  

[SpringIsHereVA]

Me too @LG322302 , you do what needs to be done. Thanks for sharing, Nicole  👵

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@LG322302 wrote:

So what happens if you aren't eligible for or can't afford any of those options you've listed?  If you're like me, you go without medical care. That's why Medicare is such a scam. At a certain age, you're forced into it even if it is a terrible choice for you.

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[SpringIsHereVA]

Yes @GailL1 , I have Traditional Medicare. Have had it since signing up for Medicare. Take care, Nicole  👵

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➡️[*** Gail wrote on Friday 4/25/25: So your choice is Traditional Medicare - that’s good coverage as long as you can cover the part that Traditional Medicare does not cover 

That’s possible with 

• a Medigap plan (Medicare Supplemental)
• Dual Eligible - Medicare and Medicaid
• CHAMPVA ( Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs)
• Veterans coverage if you use the Veteran’s system and have a full coverage Priority Group
• A Retiree plan from previous employer or union
• A Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) plan that works with Medicare
• A PSHB (Postal Service Health Benefits) plan that works with Medicare
• A Tri-Care (Military) plan that works with Medicare
• An (active employment) employer group health plan that works with Medicare
• or something else that works with Medicare (COBRA does NOT)

If not one of these, a large piggy-bank.  ***]

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