Planning to Make the Switch to Medicare Advantage

Kathy Hoffman is a Fee-For-Service Medicare beneficiary who intends to switch to Medicare Advantage. Published: Dec. 14, 2023

Access to high-quality, affordable health care is critical for all Americans, but it is especially important for seniors on fixed incomes and patients with disabilities. When it comes to Medicare coverage, beneficiaries like me are increasingly turning away from traditional Fee-For-Service (FFS) Medicare to embrace Medicare Advantage. With open enrollment running now through December 7, my husband is making the switch from FFS Medicare to Medicare Advantage and I plan to once eligible.

This is a move we’ve been considering for a while, but a recent roundtable discussion with other Medicare Advantage beneficiaries hosted by Senator Mark Kelly’s in-state staff has reaffirmed my decision. After hearing from other beneficiaries (and others who also planned to switch) about the health and financial benefits of Medicare Advantage, changing plans seems like a no-brainer.

In my line of work as a mortgage banker, I have seen seniors on FFS Medicare have to refinance their home or open new lines of credit just to afford vital things like hearing aids or surgeries. According to the 2023 State of Medicare Advantage report, beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage spend $2,400 less per year on out-of-pocket costs and premiums compared to FFS Medicare beneficiaries. At just $18, the average monthly premium for a Medicare Advantage plan is now at a 16-year low. For seniors living on a fixed income or with limited financial flexibility, these kinds of savings are of vital importance.

Not only does Medicare Advantage help beneficiaries save money so they can afford to meet their health needs, but it also provides a wider range of services that improve patient outcomes along with easy to utilize services. These include more flexible vision, dental, and hearing benefits, as well as an array of innovative services that help improve access to care. From telehealth to home meal delivery to transportation to and from appointments, these unique supplemental services help meet patients’ health care needs when and where they need it.

Given the greater focus on wellness and preventative care, Medicare beneficiaries have a 43% lower rate of avoidable hospitalizations for any condition—as well as a 21% higher rate of being able to follow up with a physician within two weeks of being discharged from a hospital—than compared to FFS Medicare enrollees.

Hearing about how Medicare Advantage can be there for people during major health emergencies and how they were able to access high-quality care at costs they could afford confirmed why we’re making this move. It’s no wonder that the program enjoys a 95% satisfaction rate or that enrollment has doubled over the last decade alone.

When it comes to quality, value, and choice, MA wins the day over FFS. That’s why I’m excited to eventually make the switch to Medicare Advantage during open enrollment once I’m eligible and join the 31 million beneficiaries who choose to enroll in this important part of Medicare.