New Analysis Finds Medicare Bests Private Coverage in Consumer Satisfaction, Access to Care
Elderly beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare plans are more satisfied with their health insurance, have better access to care, and are less likely to have problems paying medical bills than people who get insurance through employers or those who purchase coverage on their own, according to a new <a href="/publications/journal-article/2012/jul/medicare-beneficiaries-less-likely-experience-cost-and-access">Commonwealth Fund study </a>published by <em>Health Affairs</em>. The study also found that beneficiaries enrolled in private Medicare Advantage plans are less satisfied with their insurance than those with a traditional Medicare plan, and more likely to experience access problems. <br /><br />
The study, by Commonwealth Fund researchers Karen Davis, Kristof Stremikis, Michelle Doty, and Mark Zezza, finds that only 8 percent of Medicare beneficiaries rated their insurance as fair or poor, compared with 20 percent of adults with employer insurance and 33 percent who purchased insurance on their own. The results suggest that shifting Medicare beneficiaries into private plans could put the elderly at greater risk for not getting needed health care and being less satisfied with their insurance. <br />
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Read more on <a href="/publications/journal-article/2012/jul/medicare-beneficiaries-less-likely-experience-cost-and-access">commonwealthfund.org</a>. <br />