A Wall Street Journal analysis of Medicare data found a pattern of Medicare Advantage’s sickest patients dropping their privately run coverage just as their health needs soared. Plans run by the private insurers in the Medicare Advantage system are supposed to offer old and disabled people the same benefits they would get from traditional Medicare. The plans can be a bargain for people because they limit out-of-pocket expenses and often offer extra benefits such as dental care. As recipients get sicker, though, they may have more difficulty accessing services than people with traditional Medicare. That’s because the insurers actively manage the care, including requiring patients to get approval for certain services and limiting which hospitals and doctors patients can use.
Read the full article: The Sickest Patients Are Fleeing Private Medicare Plans—Costing Taxpayers Billions //
Source: https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/medicare-private-plans-insurers-389af1a0