Medicare Advantage - Research and Data from KFF

Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program Enhance Some Consumer Protections But Roll Back Others

May 1, 2026

Issue Brief

CMS recently finalized policies as part of the 2027 Medicare Advantage final rule that both enhance consumer protections and roll back changes to the Medicare Advantage program that were intended to protect consumers. These changes have gotten less attention than payment issues and changes to the star ratings system, which also affect plan payments, but could have implications for Medicare beneficiaries.

Making Ends Meet: The Medicare Generation

Jun 1, 2011

Video

This short Kaiser Family Foundation documentary profiles the experiences of three Medicare families trying to pay for their health care costs with other household spending. The families are among 16 featured in a companion report examining the role Medicare now plays in the lives of beneficiaries and the challenges many face in paying for their health care and other living expenses on a fixed budget.

Distribution of Enrollment in Medicare Advantage Plans, by Plan Type, 2013

Jul 15, 2013

Feature

Distribution of Enrollment in Medicare Advantage Plans, by Plan Type, 2013 Download Source MPR / KFF analysis of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Advantage enrollment files, 2013.

Share of Medicare Beneficiaries Enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans, by State, 2013

Jul 15, 2013

Feature

Share of Medicare Beneficiaries Enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans, by State, 2013 Download Source MPR/Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of CMS State/County Market Penetration Files, 2013.

Total Medicare Private Health Plan Enrollment, 1999-2013

Jul 15, 2013

Feature

Total Medicare Private Health Plan Enrollment, 1999-2013 Download Source MPR/Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of CMS Medicare Advantage enrollment files, 2008-2013, and MPR, “Tracking Medicare Health and Prescription Drug Plans Monthly Report,” 2001-2007; enrollment numbers from March of the respective year, with the exception of 2006, which is from April.

Although Their Share of the Market Varies By State, Enrollment in Medicare Advantage Plans Has More Than Doubled Over the Past Decade, with More than 4 in 10 Medicare Beneficiaries Now Enrolled in the Private Plans

Jun 21, 2021

News Release

The private plans known as Medicare Advantage now cover more than 4 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries, reflecting a more than doubling of enrollment over the past decade even as the plans remain a far larger presence in some states than others, according to a new KFF analysis. More than 26 million of the nation’s nearly 63 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans in 2021. The share varies considerably by state, ranging from…

Cost-Related Problems Are Less Common Among Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare Than in Medicare Advantage, Mainly Due to Supplemental Coverage

Jun 25, 2021

Issue Brief

This analysis examines health care cost-related problems among Medicare beneficiaries, comparing beneficiaries in traditional Medicare, including those with and without supplemental coverage, to those in Medicare Advantage, with a focus on racial equity. We compare rates of cost-related problems among White, Black, and Hispanic beneficiaries, those in fair or poor health, and those under age 65 with long-term disabilities. The measure of cost-related problems include problems getting care due to cost, delays seeking care due…

Black Medicare Beneficiaries Are More Likely Than White Beneficiaries to Have Cost-Related Problems with Their Health Care, Across both Traditional Medicare and in Medicare Advantage Plans

Jun 25, 2021

News Release

Among people with Medicare, Black beneficiaries are more likely to have cost-related problems with their health care than White beneficiaries, finds a new KFF analysis, with the racial disparity persisting among beneficiaries in both traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. While 17 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries, or about 1 in 6, reported health care cost-related problems in 2018, the rate among Black beneficiaries was double that among White beneficiaries (28% vs. 14%), according to…

Medicare Advantage 2022 Spotlight: First Look

Nov 2, 2021

Issue Brief

For 2022, the average Medicare beneficiary has access to 39 Medicare Advantage plans, the largest number of options available in the last decade, and can choose from plans offered by nine firms. Among the majority of Medicare Advantage plans that cover prescription drugs, 59 percent will charge no premium in addition to the monthly Medicare Part B premium. As in previous years, the vast majority of Medicare Advantage plans will offer supplemental fitness, dental, vision,…

A Record 3,834 Medicare Advantage Plans Will be Available in 2022, Up 8 Percent From 2021, While the Number of Medicare Part D Stand-Alone Plans is Decreasing Mainly Due to Firm Consolidations

Nov 2, 2021

News Release

A record 3,834 Medicare Advantage plans will be available across the country as alternatives to traditional Medicare for 2022, a new KFF analysis finds. That’s an increase of 8 percent from 2021, and the largest number of plans available in more than a decade. At the same time, the number of Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans that will be offered in 2022 is decreasing by 23 percent to 766 plans, primarily the result…

Topics

Policy Research

Polling

Health News

Data & Features

For Media

About

View the Latest: Medicare Advantage

Filter