title: At least half of new Medicare advantage enrollees had switched from traditional Medicare during 2006-11.
abstract: With ongoing interest in rising Medicare Advantage enrollment, we examined whether the growth in enrollment between 2006 and 2011 was mainly due to new beneficiaries choosing Medicare Advantage when they first become eligible for Medicare. We also examined the extent to which beneficiaries in traditional Medicare switched to Medicare Advantage, and vice versa. We found that 22 percent of new Medicare beneficiaries elected Medicare Advantage over traditional Medicare in 2011; they accounted for 48 percent of new Medicare Advantage enrollees that year. People ages 65-69 switched from traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage at higher-than-average rates. Dual eligibles (people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid) and beneficiaries younger than age sixty-five with disabilities disenrolled from Medicare Advantage at higher-than-average rates. On average, in each year of the study period we found that fewer than 5 percent of traditional Medicare beneficiaries switched to Medicare Advantage, and a similar percentage of Medicare Advantage enrollees switched to traditional Medicare. These results suggest that initial coverage decisions have long-lasting effects.
authors.affiliation: Gretchen A. Jacobson (gjacobson@kff.org) is an associate director of the Program on Medicare Policy at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, in Washington, D.C.
authors.forename: Gretchen A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.affiliation: Patricia Neuman is senior vice president and director of the Program on Medicare Policy at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neuman
authors.affiliation: Anthony Damico is an independent consultant.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damico
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D020398:Medicare Part C / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D011157:Population Dynamics / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000639:trends
keywords: Health Economics; Managed Care - Medicare < Managed Care; Managed Competition; Medicare; Organization and Delivery of Care