As Medicare open enrollment begins next month, millions of Americans will assess their coverage options. Should they choose traditional Medicare or opt for a private Medicare Advantage plan? What about private prescription drug plans and Medigap plans that cover services that Medicare does not? With so many choices and marketing messages, how do consumers make these decisions?
Speakers discussed new research on people’s experiences with Medicare marketing, what factors and information influence Medicare coverage choices, and potential policy opportunities to better support consumers during open enrollment.
Introduction:
- Harriet Komisar, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor, Public Policy Institute, AARP
Presenters:
- Gretchen Jacobson, Ph.D., Vice President of Medicare, Commonwealth Fund
- Teresa Keenan, Ph.D., Director, Health and Health Security Research, AARP
- Faith Leonard, M.P.H., Program Associate, Commonwealth Fund
The presenters will be followed by a discussion moderated by Julie Rovner, Chief Washington Correspondent at KFF Health News. Panelists include:
- Rebecca Kinney, Director, Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling, Administration for Community Living (ACL)
- Sarah Murdoch, M.S.W., Director of Client Services, Medicare Rights Center
- Maricruz Rivera-Hernandez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University
Resources
- Gretchen Jacobson, et al., The Private Plan Pitch: Seniors’ Experiences with Medicare Marketing and Advertising (Commonwealth Fund, Aug. 2023). https://doi.org/10.26099/a9bz-by48
- Faith Leonard et al., Medicare’s Affordability Problem: A Look at the Cost Burdens Faced by Older Enrollees — Findings from the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey, 2022 (Commonwealth Fund, Sept. 2023). https://doi.org/10.26099/ptam-tw11
- Teresa Keenan, The Need to Do the Medicare Homework: Starting Out and Ongoing (AARP, Sept. 2023). https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/coverage-access/choosing-medicare-decision-making.html
- You can find your local SHIP through the SHIP Technical Assistance Center website at: SHIPhelp.org. Or you can call them at 1-877-839-2675.
