Press Releases
March 11, 2015

Seniors Highly Satisfied with Medicare Advantage

Ninety-one percent of seniors in Medicare Advantage are satisfied with their coverage, with 69 percent saying they are highly satisfied.

Contact: Bill Pierce

(202) 659-7931

New bipartisan poll shows those who switched from FFS overwhelmingly prefer Medicare Advantage

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ninety-one percent of seniors in Medicare Advantage are satisfied with their coverage, with 69 percent saying they are highly satisfied. Among seniors who switched to Medicare Advantage from fee-for-service Medicare, 58 percent say Medicare Advantage is better, while just two percent say fee-for-service is better.

These are among the key findings of a new poll of 600 Medicare Advantage beneficiaries conducted February 24-28, 2015 by The Mellman Group and The Winston Group on behalf of the Better Medicare Alliance.

The survey found exceptionally high satisfaction with the quality of care Medicare Advantage provides:

  • On a scale of one-to-nine, seniors rate the quality of care they receive in Medicare Advantage an 8.0.
  • By an 87-3 margin, seniors in Medicare Advantage are satisfied with the preventive care they receive.
  • By an 86-2 margin, seniors are satisfied with how Medicare Advantage helps manage chronic conditions.
  • By a 79-3 margin, seniors in Medicare Advantage are satisfied with how their care is coordinated among doctors and other providers.

“Seniors in Medicare Advantage are very positive about the program and specifically the quality of care they are receiving. Additionally, of those that have switched to Medicare Advantage, almost 6 out of 10 (58%) believe that the Medicare Advantage program is better. These seniors clearly see the benefits and health outcomes that Medicare Advantage generates,” said David Winston, president of The Winston Group.

“This survey shows that seniors who are in Medicare Advantage see the value of the program, and are satisfied with their plans,” said Mark Mellman, President and CEO of The Mellman Group.

The poll also found that 93 percent of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries believe it is important that seniors have a choice of a plan other than traditional Medicare. A recent Milliman analysis reported that seniors in 211 U.S. counties do not have access to Medicare Advantage due to federal rate cuts implemented from 2012-2015.

“This survey confirms what our members see every day: seniors cherish Medicare Advantage because it provides better healthcare,” said Krista Drobac, interim executive director of the Better Medicare Alliance.

To view the full survey, please see here.

About the Better Medicare Alliance

The Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) is a new coalition of providers, plans, beneficiaries and advocates who believe Medicare Advantage is better for seniors and better for the healthcare system. To learn more, please visit www.bettermedicarealliance.org.

About The Mellman Group

The Mellman Group has provided sophisticated opinion research and strategic advice to political leaders, government agencies, corporations and the nation’s leading public interest groups for nearly twenty-five years. www.mellmangroup.com

About The Winston Group

The Winston Group is a strategy and research firm dedicated to making ideas matter. www.winstongroup.net

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