Press Releases
November 26, 2019

New Independent Government Reports Demonstrate the Value of Pharmacy Benefit Managers and Prescription Drug Rebates to Medicare Beneficiaries

Nearly two-thirds of respondents call Medicare Advantage a “better choice” for seniors’ needs

Washington, D.C. – Better Medicare Alliance, an advocacy group of more than 400,000 beneficiaries and over 140 ally organizations supporting Medicare Advantage (MA), released new findings today from a national poll conducted by Morning Consult showing that beneficiaries’ satisfaction with Medicare Advantage has soared to new highs.

The poll, commissioned annually by Better Medicare Alliance, found that a record-setting 94% of enrollees are satisfied with their Medicare Advantage coverage, besting previous totals of 92%.

The poll additionally found that 62% of seniors call Medicare Advantage a “better choice” compared to Traditional Medicare.

“The latest findings in our poll underscore the value that Medicare Advantage plans continue to provide,” said Allyson Y. Schwartz, President and CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance. “With half of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries enrolled in $0 premium plans and 97 percent having access to dental, vision, hearing, or fitness benefits unavailable in Traditional Medicare, it is clear seniors are responding to Medicare Advantage’s ability to deliver better coverage at a lower cost.”

Among other key findings of the poll:

  • 93% of respondents are satisfied with the selection of doctors, physicians, and specialists in their Medicare Advantage plan. 
  • 88% of respondents say it is important for seniors to have a choice of plans other than Traditional Medicare, such as Medicare Advantage. 
  • 84% of respondents are satisfied with the customer service offered by their plan administrator or care coordinator. 
  • 80% of respondents are satisfied with the cost of co-pays and deductibles in their Medicare Advantage plan. 
  • 74% of respondents agree that wellness programs in Medicare Advantage help seniors live healthier lives. 
  • After enrolling in Medicare, 68% of seniors on Medicare Advantage switched to Medicare Advantage in the first open enrollment period 
  • 45% of respondents did not know about Medicare Advantage during their first open enrollment – showing improvement from a 2017 Better Medicare Alliance-led poll which found that 65% of seniors were  unaware of Medicare Advantage. 

The Morning Consult poll of 2,000 beneficiaries was conducted on behalf of Better Medicare Alliance from September 26th – October 1st, 2019. Survey results have a margin of error of ± 2%.

Find additional information in a memo prepared by Morning Consult here.

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