Medicare

Increased enrollment in private Medicare Advantage fee-for-service plans might make Medicare less viable in the long term because of the higher cost to the federal government for such plans, Marsha Gold, a senior fellow at Mathematica Policy Research, found in a study published in the journal Health Affairs.

Medicare beneficiaries since 2006 have enrolled in private Medicare Advantage fee-for-service plans in larger numbers, according to Gold. Such health plans offer more coverage options but often have higher costs for beneficiaries.

Noting that private fee-for-service plans often are attractive to individual beneficiaries, Gold recommends that policymakers do a better job of explaining the advantages and disadvantages of Medicare Advantage plans to help beneficiaries make educated enrollment choices based on their medical needs (Gold, Health Affairs, 5/15).