2
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN
Introduction
Medicare Advantage; is a capitated program for providing health care and Medicare coverage in the United States. Its roots go back to 1977 when the program, then called “Medicare Choice,” became official with the passing of the Balanced Budget Act.
Neuman, Patricia, and Gretchen A. Jacobson. “Medicare advantage checkup.” N Engl J Med379, no. 22 (2018): 2163-2172.
. In 2003, Medicare part D was created, renaming Medicare Choice to Medicare Advantage Plans, thus allowing beneficiaries to access health and prescription coverage through a single plan using one I.D. card. Medicare pays a private sector health insurer a fixed amount of money which pays for health care expenses for enrollees.
Types of Medicare Advantage Plans
Types of Medicare Advantage Plans include; Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) which works within a defined plan’s network, Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), where one pays less for services within the plan’s network, Private Fee-for-Services (PFFS) determines how much one must pay on getting care from a network of providers as long as they accept the plans payment terms, Special Needs Plans (SNPs) designed for people with special health care or chronic medical conditions, HMO Point-of-Service (HMOPOS) allows services out-of-network for a higher coinsurance. Medical Savings Account (MSA) combines health care savings with a high deductible catastrophic health plan.
Skopec, Laura, Stephen Zuckerman, Eva H. Allen, and Joshua Aarons. “Why did Medicare Advantage enrollment grow as payment pressure increased.” (2019).
. In addition, it provides services covered by Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance). Individuals can only enroll when he/she has Medicare Parts A and B and live in the plans service area. He/she should be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present in the U.S.
Conclusion
In summary, M.A. will be the dominant source of Medicare coverage by 2025 due to its rapid increase in beneficiary enrollment.
Jacobson, Gretchen A., and David Blumenthal. “Medicare Advantage enrollment growth: Implications for the U.S. health care system.” JAMA 327, no. 24 (2022): 2393-2394.
. Certainly worth the zero-dollar premium and a good deal for sufficient coverage of health needs.
Bibliography
Neuman, Patricia, and Gretchen A. Jacobson. “Medicare advantage checkup.” N Engl J Med 379,
no. 22 (2018): 2163-2172.
Skopec, Laura, Stephen Zuckerman, Eva H. Allen, and Joshua Aarons. “Why did Medicare
Advantage enrollment grew as payment pressure increased.” (2019).
Jacobson, Gretchen A., and David Blumenthal. “Medicare Advantage enrollment growth:
Implications for the U.S. health care system.” JAMA 327, no. 24 (2022): 2393-2394.



