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Medicare

New & Noteworthy

Dental Coverage
Policy Options for Improving Dental Coverage for People on Medicare
Since its inception, Medicare has explicitly excluded coverage of dental services, with limited exceptions. Nearly two-thirds of the Medicare population – 37 million beneficiaries – have no dental coverage at all.
Out-of-Pocket SPendnig
How Much Do Medicare Beneficiaries Spend Out-of-Pocket on Health Care?
The average person with traditional Medicare coverage paid $5,460 out of their own pocket for health care in 2016. But some groups of beneficiaries spent substantially more than others.
PArt D
How Will Medicare Part D Change Under Current Law and Leading Proposals?
Part D enrollees with relatively high out-of-pocket expenses can expect see their costs rise in 2020. This is mainly due to an increase in how much enrollees will pay out of pocket for their prescription drugs in the coverage gap phase before they qualify for catastrophic coverage.

Medicare advantage statistics

Latest Polling

59%

of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans operated by UnitedHealthcare, Humana, or BlueCross BlueShield affiliates in 2019. (2019 Issue Brief)

29%

of new Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans during their first year on Medicare in 2016. (2019 Issue Brief)

34%

of all Medicare beneficiaries (22 million people) are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. (2019 Issue Brief)

62%

of the 22 million Medicare Advantage enrollees in 2019 are in in HMOs, with the rest in local or regional PPOs. (2019 Fact Sheet)

The Medicare Marketplace

No Itch to Switch
Few Medicare Beneficiaries Switch Plans During Open Enrollment
A relatively small share of people with Medicare Advantage or stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage voluntarily switch plans during Medicare’s open enrollment period from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.
Medicare Advantage
Medicare Advantage in 2020
Medicare Advantage plans have taken a large and growing role in the Medicare program over the past decade, with more than 22 million beneficiaries (34%) enrolled in the private plans in 2019.
Part D
Medicare Part D: A Look at Prescription Drug Plans in 2020
In 2020, nearly nine in 10 stand-alone drug plan enrollees are projected to be in plans operated by five firms: UnitedHealth, Humana, WellCare, CVS Health, and Cigna

The Essentials

Basics
An Overview of Medicare Coverage
Medicare plays a key role in providing health care and financial security to more than 60 million older people and younger people with disabilities.
federal budget
The Facts on Medicare Spending
Medicare spending was 15 percent of total federal spending in 2018. Benefit payments totaled $731 billion that year.
income and assets
Finances of Medicare Beneficiaries, 2016-2035
Half of all Medicare beneficiaries had incomes below $26,200 per person in 2016 and savings below $74,450.
medicare part d
10 Things to Know About Part D
Part D is a voluntary outpatient prescription drug benefit for people with Medicare, provide through private plans approved by the federal government.
quiz
How Much Do You Know About Medicare?
Take this quiz to find out how much you know about Medicare, the people it serves, the benefits it covers, and its financial status.