In 2011, 2.8 million baby boomers will turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare.
Tag Archives: Medicare Advantage
Medicare Advantage: A Growing Business
Humana’s Medicare Advantage enrollment climbed 17 percent in the third quarter of 2010 to more than 1.7 million people. Humana is the second largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans behind UnitedHealth Group. United’s Medicare Advantage business grew 16% year-over-year.
Medicare Advantage: No Cuts in Election Year
Medicare Advantage plans will not face big payment cuts until 2012 as a result of the health care reform bill, avoiding a political hot potato in the 2010 election year.
Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board
In the long list of provisions in the health care reform law that will affect Medicare, it looks like the most important element is the Independent Payment Advisory Board. This appointed board will have the ability to set policy for Medicare.
Health Care Reform Law and Part D
All the delays in passing the health care reform bill will also delay positive changes to Part D coverage. Seniors were supposed to get relief this year, but it appears that people who fall into the doughnut hole in 2010 will only get a $250 rebate. Changes that were supposed to take effect in 2010 have been moved to 2011.
Health Care Reform Law and Medicare
The Health Care Reform Law will affect Medicare in many ways. Cuts to Medicare Advantage plans and increases for primary care doctors are just some of the changes. The list is from The Medicare Rights Center.
Why Democrats Hate Medicare Advantage
A recent report from Congress highlighted why Democrats hate Medicare Advantage. The study of Medicare Advantage plans’ revenues and expenses from 2005 to 2008 found that the average Medicare Advantage insurer spent over 15% of its revenues on marketing, administrative costs, and profits.
Free Healthcare for seniors….in Florida
Dade County, Florida has 81 Medicare Advantage plans and most of the HMO plans offer seniors practically-free healthcare. $0 premium; $0 co-pay for hospitalization; $0 to see doctors. At the same time, seniors in Arizona are facing substantial changes in their plans in 2010, including a $36 monthly premium for a plan that has always been $0. Hospital co-pays that would be $900 in 2009 will be $2,000 next year.
Not all Medicare Advantage plans are bad
Opponents of Medicare Advantage have a mantra that says private Medicare plans receive fourteen percent more money per enrollee than is spent on the average Medicare beneficiary. President Obama and legislators writing healthcare reform bills all agree that billions of dollars must be cut from Medicare Advantage plans over the next five years.
Medicare Advantage cuts according to AHIP
October 2009: America’s Health Insurance Plans released the following statement at the end of September, 2009 regarding the impact of proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage: FACT: The impact of proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage (MA) would vary greatly depending on how the cuts are structured and where a senior happens to live. The House legislation [...]
Humana accused of scare tactics by CMS
CMS has launched an investigation of Humana after questions were raised over letters it sent to its beneficiaries on the subject of health reform. Officials are looking into the issue of whether Humana used scare tactics when it reached out to Medicare Advantage members and took a stand on health reform legislation.
Enrollment in Medicare Advantage high in some states
If Medicare Advantage plans impose higher premiums and higher co-payments for servcies, over 10 million people enrolled in these plans will be affected. In some states the numbers are quite high.
Medicare HMO’s in 1996: a model for savings
In a 1996 New York Times article, Tucson, AZ Medicare HMO plans were touted as a model for saving Medicare dollars, and 42 percent of seniors in Pima County were enrolled in such plans.
Medicare Advantage and HR 3200
House bill 3200 targets changes in Medicare Advantage that will effect enrollment periods and costs in the private plans.
Medicare Advantage Under Attack?
Cuts in payments to the private insurance companies running Medicare Advantage plans will start in 2010. Medicare Advantage enrollees will have to wait until October to learn how their plan benefits and co-payments are effected.
HR 3200 and Medicare Advantage
Provisions in HR 3200 will curb Medicare Advantage overpayments and would save $157 billion over ten years.
