Historically, Medicare beneficiaries are the group of Americans most satisfied with their health care options. Surveys have repeatedly showed that those enrolled in both traditional Medicare plans or Medicare Advantage, the private sector incarnation, are happy with costs and services.
A new survey by J.D. Power, a market research firm, shows what Medicare Advantage enrollees value most about their plans. Based on a 1,000 point scale to measure satisfaction, Medicare Advantage earned a 774, compared to 679 for commercial health plans.
"Medicare Advantage health plan members tend to have a more favorable image of their health plan than do members of commercial plans on brand measures of trustworthiness, affordability, reputation and customer-centricity," said Rick Johnson, director of the health care practice at J.D. Power.
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Nearly half of Medicare Advantage members "strongly agree" that their health plan is a trusted partner in their health and wellness. Sixty four percent of Medicare Advantagemembers believe that their plan provides them broad enough coverage.
J.D. Power also points to the continuity of care that Medicare Advantage can provide seniors as a key program strength. The survey showed that nearly three-quarters of members reported that their doctor was not dropped from the plan in the past year. Nearly the same proportion reported that their preferred hospital was still on the plan.
"Having to switch providers because they are dropped from a plan adds a level of stress and a feeling of having to start over," said Johnson.
The average wait times for doctor visits for MA members –– 7.7 days for a PCP and 14.7 days for a specialist –– was comparable to those reported by those enrolled in commercial plans.
Another thing Medicare Advantage has going for it is that its members are typically well-informed about how the plan works, reports J.D. Power. Compared to those with commercial plans, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are more likely to understand the structure of their plan, including the deductibles, premiums and out-of-pocket limits.
The survey also showed Kaiser Permanente, well ahead of other plans in member satisfaction. Kaiser's score of 842 was substantially higher than the industry average of 774.
Other big names, including Cigna, Anthem, BlueCross, Aetna and UnitedHealth all received scores below the average.
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