Medicare Advantage: Debunking 3 Common Misconceptions

A growing number of adults 65 and older are choosing Medicare Advantage plans for their health insurance––and for good reason. People who are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, sometimes called Medicare Part C or MA Plan, tend to have better health outcomes, are satisfied with their plans and enjoy benefits not included in Original Medicare, typically while paying lower out-of-pocket costs. As the number of people enrolling in Medicare Advantage plans rises, so does the demand for improved value-based care. 

“As people in our community continue to select Medicare Advantage plans, it is important that they are aware of all the benefits these plans afford them with their value-based care,” said Roberto Martinez, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Reliance Medical Centers. “Medicare Advantage plans are designed to meet the patient’s whole health needs, and at Reliance we want all our patients to be aware of the benefits their plans provide.” 

Despite all the benefits that come with Medicare Advantage plans, there are still some misunderstandings surrounding the plans. Here are three Medicare Advantage misconceptions debunked. 

Misconception 1: Medicare Advantage Plans Are More Expensive Than Original Medicare

People with Medicare Advantage pay, on average, the same or less than people with Original Medicare. However, since Medicare Advantage tends to offer more benefits than Original Medicare, such as dental, vision and hearing, people with Medicare Advantage are getting more coverage for the amount they are paying. Another benefit is that all Medicare Advantage plans have maximum out-of-pocket limits. 

Misconception 2: Medicare Advantage Plans Are Only Available to People With Excellent Health 

This misunderstanding likely stems from the fact Original Medicare cannot reject people with preexisting health conditions but neither can Medicare Advantage. Another reason for this misunderstanding? People who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage tend to have better health outcomes than people enrolled in Original Medicare. This is because Medicare Advantage provides enrollees with value-based care, a type of care model that provides patients better health outcomes at a lower cost by focusing on preventative wellness care.

Misconception 3: Value-Based Care is Not Successful 

This is the biggest misconception of them all. Value-based care is on the rise in the United States with 45% of the medicare market enrolled, because it works. This type of care focuses on the quality of care over the quantity, and payment comes not from the amount of services a physician provides but from the patient’s health outcome. “At Reliance, we truly believe in the mission of value-based care,” said Adam Krezel, COO of Reliance Medical Centers. “By providing our patients with wrap-around care and no-cost benefits such as transportation, mental healthcare services, exercise programs and medication reviews by a team of Clinical Pharmacists, we are preventing health issues before they arise. Our goal is to keep our patients healthy, independent and happy, and value-based care Medicare Advantage plans allow us to accomplish this goal.”