Medicare Advantage "A Failed Policy"
Beginning in the ‘80s and ‘90s, our congressional leaders had the belief that they could reduce costs and improve healthcare through better management. Towards this end, they believed that setting up networks with the big insurance companies would facilitate this goal.
But unfortunately, the policy has failed because the patients were once again removed from the decision making and financial decisions.
Medicare is failing and the “Medicare Advantage” plans are expediting the downward decline.
Many of the private health insurance plans that now represent one fifth of the government-sponsored programs for older Americans, the “Medicare Advantage”, are siphoning off the top of Medicare's already overstretched budget.
Before this change occurred and at present, Medicare provides equitable access and delivers all the targeted services more cheaply and more efficiently than the Medicare Advantage plans by paying hospitals and doctors directly.
Medicare pays a 13 percent premium effecting a 17% overpayment to Medicare Advantage plans (compared to what they’d pay for the same services in fee for service Medicare).
This policy change has not improved the quality or delivery of healthcare to these seniors.
What it has done is distance seniors from taking a more direct path to their healthcare and it has substantially increased the bottom line of the Humana, Anthem and the other insurance companies at the expense of the providers.
Providers are required to jump through more hoops and over more hurdles than was already required on the original Medicare plan leading to increased cost and more hassles.
Congress needs to rethink this policy and the Democratic majority needs to make some substantial changes. If they do not like big business, this is their opportunity to make an impact.
As it stands now, the beneficiaries in traditional Medicare are paying higher premiums to subsidize questionable benefits for the minority in private plans, and the taxpayers are chipping in to boot.
The only winners are the insurance companies!
But unfortunately, the policy has failed because the patients were once again removed from the decision making and financial decisions.
Medicare is failing and the “Medicare Advantage” plans are expediting the downward decline.
Many of the private health insurance plans that now represent one fifth of the government-sponsored programs for older Americans, the “Medicare Advantage”, are siphoning off the top of Medicare's already overstretched budget.
Before this change occurred and at present, Medicare provides equitable access and delivers all the targeted services more cheaply and more efficiently than the Medicare Advantage plans by paying hospitals and doctors directly.
Medicare pays a 13 percent premium effecting a 17% overpayment to Medicare Advantage plans (compared to what they’d pay for the same services in fee for service Medicare).
This policy change has not improved the quality or delivery of healthcare to these seniors.
What it has done is distance seniors from taking a more direct path to their healthcare and it has substantially increased the bottom line of the Humana, Anthem and the other insurance companies at the expense of the providers.
Providers are required to jump through more hoops and over more hurdles than was already required on the original Medicare plan leading to increased cost and more hassles.
Congress needs to rethink this policy and the Democratic majority needs to make some substantial changes. If they do not like big business, this is their opportunity to make an impact.
As it stands now, the beneficiaries in traditional Medicare are paying higher premiums to subsidize questionable benefits for the minority in private plans, and the taxpayers are chipping in to boot.
The only winners are the insurance companies!
posted by Anonymous at 6:00 AM
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