The Future of Medicare and the Role of Traditional Medicare as Competitor
NEJM August 21, 2024
Medicare is at a crossroads. Enrollment in the Medicare Advantage program among eligible beneficiaries surpassed 54% in January 2024, up from 43% just 4 years earlier.1,2 The meteoric rise of this program, fueled by subsidies, has ignited debate about the influence of private insurers on one of the most cherished and enduring social programs in U.S. history. Some tout gains from market forces and innovation, while others decry profiteering and regulatory capture by corporate interests. As is often the case in the United States, the controversy has been cast in polarizing terms such as “privatization.”