KFF issues 2008n update on Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage plans enrolled a record9.8 million beneficiaries, more than one in five of the nation’s 44million people on Medicare as of April 2008. That represents anincrease of more than 800,000 beneficiaries in just four months,continuing a period of unprecedented growth for private plans inMedicare since 2003.

This issue brief, prepared for the KaiserFamily Foundation by Marsha Gold of Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.,analyzes recent developments in the Medicare Advantage marketplace,including plan choices available to beneficiaries and enrollment trendsby plan type and geography.

The brief also examines market sharefor the companies offering Medicare Advantage plans and the roleMedicare Advantage plans play in providing employer-sponsored retireehealth benefits.

Issue Brief (.pdf)