Explore what Medicare Advantage means

More than half of all Medicare beneficiaries are now insured through private Medicare Advantage plans, and this massively profitable niche of health insurance raises questions about how taxpayer money is being spent. There has never been a more important time to understand the ins and outs of this growing program than right now.

This collection of articles from STAT’s Medicare Advantage coverage includes new analyses and charts based on the latest data from the federal government.

Gain a better understand of:

• How Medicare Advantage works
• How it compares to traditional Medicare
• Top health insurance companies dominating the industry
• What is changing heading into 2025

Perhaps the most important and controversial component of Medicare Advantage is “risk adjustment” — the process by which the government pays insurance companies for each individual based on how sick that person is. In this system, private insurers receive federal subsidies to manage care, with the government spending over $500 billion annually on the program. However, shifting America’s Medicare program toward a more privatized version has not saved taxpayers any money and has restricted care for vulnerable patients.

Explore which companies, in addition to AT&T and Boeing, have shifted their retirees to Medicare Advantage included in the over 34 million enrollees in 2024. While the program’s benefits are appealing, concerns persist about its impact on costs and care quality. Given these plans' growing influence, it's more important than ever to have a clear-eyed perspective on the repercussions for physicians, insurers, and patients. 

Download this report to gain a broader understanding of the state of Medicare Advantage and its implications.