When Medicare Advantage was first signed into law, we were promised that commercial health insurers would deliver high-quality medical benefits at a lower cost than Traditional Medicare. Almost immediately, it became clear that the opposite was true: these corporations are delivering stingier benefits to seniors while costing taxpayers significantly more than the original, public program.
As Medicare Advantage has grown, it has attracted more scrutiny…which has made it even more apparent that the public is getting a bad deal.
Groundbreaking report on corporate overcharging
In the weeks before Medicare’s 2023 Open Enrollment period, Physicians for a National Health Program published a report detailing the many ways that Medicare Advantage corporations overcharge taxpayers. The total amount—up to $140 billion per year—could be used to totally eliminate Medicare Part B premiums; or to add dental, hearing, and vision benefits to Medicare and Medicaid.
During Open Enrollment, Medicare champions convened a webinar to share these findings, to hear powerful stories from seniors and physicians, and to demand Congress crack down on corporate profiteering.
Watch the “Open Season” webinar
$140 billion a year of waste in Medicare Advantage
Ready to take action? Write a letter to the editor or op-ed warning about the dangers of Medicare Advantage. You may also wish to call your member of Congress at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to both crack down on Medicare Advantage profiteering and make necessary improvements to the Traditional Medicare program. Questions? Email organizer@pnhp.org.