Taxpayers Spend 22% More Per Patient to Support Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage was supposed to find efficiencies, but instead is costing taxpayers an extra $83 billion a year

The Medicare Advantage program enrolls over half of Medicare beneficiaries. However, the $83-billion-per-year overpayment of plans, which amounts to more than 8% of Medicare’s total budget, is unsustainable.
The Medicare Advantage program enrolls over half of Medicare beneficiaries. However, the $83-billion-per-year overpayment of plans, which amounts to more than 8% of Medicare’s total budget, is unsustainable.
Dragos Condrea/Envato
Share
The Medicare Advantage program enrolls over half of Medicare beneficiaries. However, the $83-billion-per-year overpayment of plans, which amounts to more than 8% of Medicare’s total budget, is unsustainable.
The Medicare Advantage program enrolls over half of Medicare beneficiaries. However, the $83-billion-per-year overpayment of plans, which amounts to more than 8% of Medicare’s total budget, is unsustainable.
Dragos Condrea/Envato
Taxpayers Spend 22% More Per Patient to Support Medicare Advantage
Copy

Medicare Advantage – the commercial alternative to traditional Medicare – is drawing down federal health care funds, costing taxpayers an extra 22% per enrollee to the tune of US$83 billion a year.

Medicare Advantage, also known as Part C, was supposed to save the government money. The competition among private insurance companies, and with traditional Medicare, to manage patient care was meant to give insurance companies an incentive to find efficiencies. Instead, the program’s payment rules overpay insurance companies on the taxpayer’s dime.

Read the full article on The Conversation.

Campaign-funded survey finds Block trailing Dan McKee and Helena Foulkes head-to-head, but gaining ground when voters hear more about his background
Dolan Perkins-Valdez says her story about a secret community of formerly enslaved people in the Appalachians is resonating in Rhode Island
Judge calls the Justice Department’s request a “fishing expedition” for sensitive voter information
The city council approved the Providence Rent Stabilization Act on Thursday, which would have placed a 4% cap on annual rent increases for most Providence apartments
Officials project $38 million a year once tolling resumes, but spending obligations have outpaced revenue by millions
The Providence City Council is still one vote short of a supermajority that could override Mayor Brett Smiley’s expected veto. The policy would cap annual rent increases at 4% with exceptions for owner-occupants.