Over the last decade, Medicare Advantage enrollment has exploded, and Medicare Advantage plans have assumed a larger role in the Medicare program. A new Kaiser Family Foundation research released recently sets the stage for congressional discussions about expanding Medicare benefits to include dental, eye, and hearing care.
- Expansion: 90% of the public considers Medicare benefit expansion to be a “top” or “critical” concern. In 2019, nearly half of Medicare seniors (44%) had hearing problems, and more than a third (35%) had visual problems.
- Reports: One out of every six 2019 Medicare recipients reported having restricted access to dental, hearing, or vision care, with cost obstacles topping the list for 70% of respondents. The most common complaint was dental, followed by vision and hearing.
- Costs: Dental care (53 percent) had surpassed vision (35 percent) and hearing care the year before (8 percent). Hearing care had the highest yearly out-of-pocket costs ($914), followed by dental ($874), and vision ($230).
- Expenses: Hearing and dental care, on the other hand, have higher average costs because a small percentage of patients require high-cost procedures or equipment. Enrolling in Medicare Advantage plans saved members money on dental ($226 on average) and vision ($48 on average) treatment, but there were no substantial savings on hearing care.
- Enrolment: The percentage of Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans (including Medicare cost plans) varies by region. In nineteen states (FL, MN, HI, OR, WI, MI, AL, CT, PA, CA, CO, NY, OH, AZ, GA, TN, RI, TX, LA) and Puerto Rico, more than 40% of Medicare enrollees are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. In nine states, Medicare Advantage membership is low (20 percent or less), including two primarily rural areas where it is almost non-existent (AK and WY).
