Medicare Spending was 27% More for People who Disenrolled from Medicare Advantage than for Similar People in Traditional Medicare
KFF December 6, 2024
More than half (54%) of eligible Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan in 2024. People are drawn to Medicare Advantage because most plans offer extra benefits and lower cost sharing compared to traditional Medicare without supplemental insurance, usually for no additional premium (other than the Part B premium). Medicare Advantage is also popular among lawmakers in Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, as well as President-elect Trump, whose previous administration generally supported policies that provided increased flexibilities to insurers when designing and administering these private plans.
Though Medicare Advantage is a popular choice for Medicare beneficiaries, there is some evidence that people who use relatively more health care services are less likely to choose a private plan...