People in poor counties are less likely to have access to high-quality Medicare Advantage plans Disadvantaged counties are more likely to have plans with low ratings, and less likely to have plans with high ratings The ratings system could be steering resources away from regions most in need, researchers said THURSDAY, July 25, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Medicare Advantage plans are touted as a great alternative to traditional Medicare, offering seniors easier access to doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs. But access to a good Medicare Advantage plan relies heavily on where a person lives, a new study finds. People are less likely to find a five-star Medicare Advantage plan if they live in a U.
S. county with higher poverty and unemployment, researchers reported in the journal JAMA Network Open . These geographic disparities could be keeping federal funds from reaching people most in need, researchers said.
“What this means is that Medicare beneficiaries living in counties with greater social disadvantage have fewer opportunities to choose highly rated Medicare Advantage plans that could be delivering high-quality care,” said lead researcher Avni Gupta , a recent doctoral graduate of health policy and management from the New York University School of Global Public Health. More than half of all Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, amounting to nearly 31 million people, researchers said in background notes. To help consumers compare the plans,.