How Seniors' Medicare Advantage Benefits Are Changing: What to Know
Summary
Many older Americans who use Medicare Advantage plans are seeing extra benefits like meal delivery and transportation help reduced or removed. These changes happen because insurance companies face rising medical costs and smaller increases in government funding.Key Facts
- Medicare Advantage plans often include core benefits like dental, vision, and hearing coverage.
- Extra perks such as over-the-counter (OTC) allowances, meal benefits, and transportation assistance are being scaled back.
- The number of plans offering OTC benefits dropped from 73% in 2025 to 66% in 2026.
- Insurers say smaller payment increases from the government limit their ability to provide extra benefits.
- The total number of Medicare Advantage plans available to individuals fell by 9% from last year.
- About 13% of people with Medicare Advantage drug plans were affected by plan cancellations before 2026.
- Experts explain that insurers are cutting perks to maintain profits and manage rising healthcare costs.
- Core benefits remain widely available, but plan choices are slightly reduced.
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