This brief examines the changes in the 2010 health reform law affecting the
Medicare Advantage program, which gives beneficiaries the option of enrolling in
private insurance plans for their Medicare benefits, instead of the traditional
fee-for-service program. The reform law will gradually reduce Medicare payments
to these plans to bring the average payment closer to the costs of traditional
fee-for-service Medicare, while rewarding plans with high-quality ratings. The
brief also describes new benefit requirements for enrollees in Medicare
Advantage plans, and a shift in the annual open enrollment period.
Issue Brief (.pdf)
