A dying agents warning ‼️

[somarco]

how much free toothpaste do we need?

How many teeth do you have?

MA plans are great and cost less . . . as long as you ignore facts . . .

And providers make more on Medicare patients than those with commercial insurance such as MA . . .

The last time I checked, reimbursement from Medicaid was at the very bottom of the list, followed by Medicare then commercial insurance.

Older adults with Medicare Advantage are more likely to have problems paying medical bills or debt than those with traditional Medicare:

• 2017
  A larger share of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries reported problems getting care or paying medical bills than traditional Medicare beneficiaries.
  
  
  
• 2023
  A Commonwealth Fund report found that older adults with Medicare Advantage were significantly more likely to have problems paying medical bills or debt than those with traditional Medicare.
  
  
  
• Cost-related problems
  A KFF study found that the rate of cost-related problems was 19% among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, compared to 15% among traditional Medicare beneficiaries.
  
  

However, Medicare can significantly reduce the amount owed in medical bills and contact from debt collectors.


Here are some differences between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare:

• Provider networks
  Medicare Advantage plans typically require you to visit providers within the plan's network for the lowest costs.
  
  
  
• Supplemental coverage
  Over 80% of traditional Medicare beneficiaries have supplemental coverage, such as employer-sponsored retiree health coverage, self-purchased Medigap policies, or Medicaid.

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/cost-shift-health-care-ecosystem-and-commercial-prices

Medicare’s Affordability Problem: A Look at the Cost Burdens Faced by Older Enrollees

This brief examines the financial burden of care that people 65 and older face, and how it differs for people with traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

www.commonwealthfund.org

Cost-Related Problems Are Less Common Among Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare Than in Medicare Advantage, Mainly Due to Supplemental Coverage | KFF

This analysis examines health care cost-related problems among Medicare beneficiaries, comparing beneficiaries in traditional Medicare, including those with and without supplemental coverage, to those in Medicare Advantage, with a focus on racial equity. We compare rates of cost-related problems...

www.kff.org

Special Report | The Real Impact of Medicare Advantage for Beneficiaries and Medicare Funding - Center for Medicare Advocacy

MA costs more than traditional Medicare, but doesn't provide better health outcomes or more affordable care - just wasted money.

medicareadvocacy.org

Facts matter . . .

 

[scagnt83]

Or if OM did their job and followed Medicare guidelines and it wasn't a free for all. I do feel bad for Med Sups having to pay bogus claims every day of the week. Luckily my clients are smart enough to see why the Drs are telling them to get on OM. They are more worried about their pocket books then the Drs making half a million.

Maybe they could do their job with an extra $460,000,000,000 in funding??

We have steadily defunded OM for 35 years now, and somehow people are surprised they struggle to do the job correctly.

 

[scagnt83]

You think that if MA went away, Medigap premiums would go down?

hahahaha

I think that OM would be more efficient all around. Half a billion a year goes a long way.

Higher reimbursement rates.

Lower premium increases.

Better staffing for increased operational efficiencies.

Larger and better investigative department and procedures to root out fraud.

All of that costs money. Half a Billion in lost funds has a deep impact on any organizations operational efficiency.

---

For 35 years we have taken away money from OM..... while complaining that OM cant handle the work load and has too low of a reimbursement.

Nothing about that is logical.

The "solution" is not fixing the original issue. Its replacing it with another problem filled patchwork stopgap.

 

[Midlevel]

I'm sure our wonderful Government could implement health insurance far better than an actual insurance company. lol

 

[tikibarrister]

How many agents choose MA for themselves?

 

[scagnt83]

I'm sure our wonderful Government could implement health insurance far better than an actual insurance company. lol

It would save the US around $10b a year right off the top from eliminating stock buy/backs.

Then another 10%-15% in the government mandated profit margin for carriers.

Our government is only incompetent if we keep it that way.
Our government became incompetent because we made it that way.

Somehow it became cool to bash the government.
But someone those same people are "patriots".
It is a self defeating cycle for our nation.

 

[rmhaire]

How many agents choose MA for themselves?

Good question.

I can't think of the first one.

 

[somarco]

How many agents choose MA for themselves?

I believe that was a forum survey a few years and I don't how the vote came out but seem like it was overwhelmingly in favor of Medigap.

 

[Yagents]

I believe that was a forum survey a few years and I don't how the vote came out but seem like it was overwhelmingly in favor of Medigap.

67% of agents would choose med supp

More insurance brokers would choose traditional Medicare over Medicare Advantage: Report

Seems like that most agents who are honest with themselves, would choose Original Medicare over MAPD when they turn 65. I of course would choose OM, what would you choose...

www.insurance-forums.com

 

[ICACharleston]

I have had an MA plan since 2010. My wife since 2009. Several surgeries between the two of us, no problems with PA or denials. One surgeon's staff tried to tell me I wouldn't be covered by MA but would by OM. I had to prove her wrong.