Medicare Advantage Enrollment, Plan Availability and Premiums in Rural Areas

Medicare Advantage enrollment has grown rapidly in recent years, and in 2023, more than half (51%) of all eligible Medicare beneficiaries are in a Medicare Advantage plan. Most Medicare Advantage enrollees, and most Medicare beneficiaries, live in metropolitan areas. To understand the role of Medicare Advantage in rural areas, this analysis examines trends in enrollment, plan availability and premiums in less populated counties.

Medicare Advantage enrollment is lower, but has grown more rapidly in recent years in rural areas than in metropolitan areas. In 2023, 40% of all eligible Medicare beneficiaries in rural counties are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, nearly four times the share in 2010 (11%). Rural Medicare Advantage enrollees can choose from among 27 plans,...

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