Nearly half of all eligible Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, according to a report from KFF.
MA participation has more than doubled from 2007 to 2022, KFF notes. The share of beneficiaries enrolled in MA plans has climbed from 19% to 48% in that time.
Other key findings:
- Nearly all enrollees in individual Medicare Advantage plans open for general enrollment have access to some benefits not covered by traditional Medicare, including eye exams and/or glasses (99%), hearing exams and/or aids (98%), and a fitness benefit (98%).
- Virtually all Medicare Advantage enrollees (99%) are in plans that require prior authorization for some services. Prior authorization is most often required for relatively expensive services, such as prescription drugs administered by a physician (Part B drugs; 99%), skilled nursing facility stays (98%), and inpatient hospital stays (acute: 98%; psychiatric: 94%), but it is rarely required for preventive services (6%).