A recent study reported in ScienMag reveals that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries do not, in fact, receive more dental, vision, or hearing care services compared to those in traditional Medicare. Data collected from over 76,000 Medicare beneficiaries between 2017-2021 resulted in the following findings:
- Nearly half of Medicare Advantage enrollees were not even aware that they had dental or vision coverage under their plans;
- Medicare Advantage enrollees demonstrated no increased likelihood of receiving essential services such as eye exams and hearing aids than those in traditional Medicare [1]; and
- On average, enrollees in Medicare Advantage plans incurred similar, if not higher, out-of-pocket expenses for supplemental care compared to traditional Medicare beneficiaries.
Senior author Dr. Lisa Simon was quoted in the ScienMag article, stating “Supplemental benefits are a major draw to Medicare Advantage. However, our findings show that people enrolled in Medicare Advantage have no better access to extra services than people in traditional Medicare, and that much of the cost comes out of their own pockets.”
[1] Likewise, previous studies and data show MA beneficiaries had no higher use of preventive, restorative, or emergency dental visits)
January 23, 2025 – C. Huberty