More MA Retrenchment News
Articles and analyses continue on the recent release of the landscape files and now with the go live of 2027 benefits on the Medicare Plan Finder. These new assessments continue to speak to the commotion under the seeming stability.
Of large plans, only one, Molina, is fully exiting Medicare Advantage (MA) mainstream coverage. It will continue to offer Special Needs Plans (SNPs). Second-place Humana has the largest county footprint (2,694) followed by leader UnitedHealthcare (2,655). But all of the major plans are paring considerably in certain counties, while growing in others. For the most part, most big plans have modestly smaller overall offerings, with Centene being an outlier.
Analyses now seem to say that the largest number of people ever will face terminations of their existing plans. Numbers vary, but the impact loosk to be 3 million or more.
MA plans argue they are preserving core benefits key to seniors, including $0 premium plans. But benefits are being pared to ensure a return to investor-demanded margins. Supplemental dental and so-called Part B givebacks are noticeably smaller.
Healthcare policy group KFF says that Medicare beneficiaries will have the option of 28 MA prescription drug (MA-PD) plans in 2027, a decline from 32 options in 2026 (excluding employer plans and special needs plans not available for general enrollment).
Additional articles: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/focus-hmos-c-snps-look-medicare-advantage-landscape-2027 and https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/medicare-advantage-benefit-cuts-2027-unh-hum/831861 and https://www.modernhealthcare.com/insurance/mh-unitedhealth-aetna-humana-medicare-advantage-plans and https://www.kff.org/medicare/the-average-medicare-beneficiary-has-28-medicare-advantage-prescription-drug-plan-options-for-2027/
#medicaladvantage #enrollment
Trump Sends Exchange Refunds
The White House began mailing $500 refund checks this week to about 1 million Americans who the administration says were overcharged for their Exchange insurance. Most getting the checks are those who earn above 400% of the federal poverty level. They are in the federal Marketplace.
#exchanges #trump
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6120529-whitehouse-obamacare-refunds-mailing/
Nebraska Work Requirements Insights
Healthcare policy group KFF reports on Nebraska’s early experience with work requirements in Medicaid. It adopted the directive early.
Among new applicants who were subject to the work requirements, 46% met qualifying activity requirements, 39% qualified for an exclusion, 14% had their applications denied.
Among returning applicants, 57% qualified for an exclusion, 34% met the qualifying activities, 7% lost coverage for not meeting work requirements.
As we saw with the return of eligibility requirements after COVID, the primary reason for denial was the failure by recipients to respond to a request for information on work.
#workrequirements #medicaid
https://www.kff.org/medicaid/early-medicaid-work-requirement-insights-from-nebraska/
— Marc S. Ryan
