A recent Washington Post ignores the compelling value of Medicare Advantage and paints a distorted picture of this vital part of the Medicare program. As 熊猫视频President and CEO Mike Tuffin points out in a newly published letter to the editor, the facts show that Medicare Advantage decisively outperforms fee-for-service for beneficiaries when it comes to affordability, benefits and outcomes.
Highlights from the letter include:
- 鈥淣early 35 million Americans have chosen Medicare Advantage because it provides them with better care at lower costs than fee-for-service Medicare.鈥�
- 鈥溾�B]eneficiaries of Medicare Advantage save, on average, more than $2,500 per year compared with those in fee-for-service. Medicare Advantage also provides more benefits, including vision, dental and hearing coverage, and prescription drugs. Seniors in Medicare Advantage have better access to preventive care and more support managing their chronic conditions 鈥� which is why Medicare Advantage delivers superior health outcomes.鈥�
- 鈥溾�� Medicare Advantage serves a population that is more clinically complex and more diverse than fee-for-service enrollees, including a majority of beneficiaries who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. These are vulnerable, low-income seniors who count on the superior value, support and services Medicare Advantage provides.鈥�
- 鈥淎ll parts of Medicare can be improved through rigorous scrutiny. A good place to start would be addressing the incentives in fee-for-service that continue to reward volume over value. Federal government data also show fee-for-service Medicare experiences higher rates of improper payments than Medicare Advantage.鈥�
Go deeper: to read the full letter to the editor at The Washington Post.
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