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Popularity of Medicare Advantage Plans - Healthpayer Intelligence
In a report published by Better Medicare Alliance, a non-profit advocate for Medicare Advantage, a recent study reveals that selection of a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan over “original” Medicare is an increasing popular choice. Medicare Advantage plans are required to provide healthcare coverage at least as good as original Medicare Part A (inpatient hospitalization coverage) and Part B (coverage for outpatient services) and, since private providers receive a fixed fee from Medicare to provide their services, MA plans often have low (or no) additional premium for their services. There are, of course, some restrictions with MA plans, such as requiring your healthcare services be provided by providers inside the MA plan’s network, but additional coverage (such as prescription drugs) is often also included in an MA plan. Cost-wise, MA plans are often more cost-efficient than original Medicare plus a “Medigap” supplement, which many beneficiaries find attractive. In the end, it’s always a personal choice whether to use original Medicare and get the flexibility of access to nearly every healthcare provider anywhere in the U.S., or to use a Medicare Advantage plan and be restricted to using primarily in-network providers. This article about the increasing popularity of Medicare Advantage plans appears at the Healthpayer Intelligence website and is authored by Kelsey Waddill. Click here to read more.