States with the Best Medicare Advantage Plans

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Medicare Advantage costs more than regular Medicare Plans--up to 20% more. And those payments go directly to so-called "free market" insurance companies. Without receiving government subsidies over and above the cost of regular medicare, could Medicare Advantage exist? Why should that program even be continued? Put everyone into regular medicare and get rid of Medicare Advantage!

Lee Hoover of IA 10:38AM September 20, 2010

Whoops. I wrote that Medicare Advantage plan enrollment is done by "country" and I meant "county".

Denise of AZ 4:17PM September 15, 2010

The report on which this article is based is flawed. It says that in states such as Arizona, 100% of Medicare beneficiaries have access to a 4 or 5 star plan. Because enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans is done by country, there is no way for seniors in Tucson (Pima County)to enroll in the only 4 star plan in Arizona, which is located in the Phoenix area (Maricopa County).
Seniors in Tucson seem pretty happy with their Medicare Advantage plans, so it surprises me that the largest plan here gets only three stars. With 45 % of Medicare beneficiaries in Pima County enrolled in Medicare Advantage, the program is very important in southern Arizona.

Denise of AZ 4:15PM September 15, 2010