“Medicare Advantage Dual Eligibles Have Better Access to Care”

“Medicare Advantage Dual Eligibles Have Better Access to Care,” by Kelsey Waddill, HealthPayerIntelligence

Quote:  “Medicare Advantage dual eligibles reported better access to care and access to telehealth during the coronavirus pandemic than traditional Medicare beneficiaries did, a report from NORC at the University of Chicago found. … Dual eligibles who were enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans and also received coverage through Medicaid tended to be higher risk than beneficiaries who were enrolled in traditional Medicare: they were older, faced more chronic conditions, and were more likely to identify as part of the Black or Hispanic communities.”

LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform:

Dual eligibles are a huge problem for their cost and higher care needs, so this is a very interesting and surprising finding. For more, see our 2012 Briefing Paper #5:  Dual Eligibles and Long-Term Care:  How to Save Medicaid LTC $30 Billion Per Year and Pay for the “Doc Fix” www.centerltc.com/BriefingPapers/5.htm — (PDF for print) Medicaid recipients also eligible for Medicare are the program’s most expensive. Better public policy could delay or prevent Medicaid dependency for millions who would otherwise become dual eligibles. This brief explains precisely what needs to be done to achieve that goal.