Medicare Advantage Enrollment Sees Strong Start to 2020

• by Christian Worstell
• February 5, 2021

Published Feb. 28, 2020

Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) enrollment is off to a hot start in 2020. 

Federal data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) show that 2020 enrollment in these private Medicare plans is up 9.2 percent as of mid-February, compared to the same period in 2019.¹

The total number of people eligible for Medicare in February 2020 reached 68 million, a 6.4 percent increase from the same time in 2019. The total number of beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans is now more than 24 million people.

The share of Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan increased from 34 percent to 35 percent from February 2019 to February 2020.

State-by-state 2020 Medicare Advantage enrollment findings

Some of the notable state-by-state findings from the CMS data include:

• 45 states experienced positive growth in Medicare Advantage enrollment from 2019 to February 2020.
  
  Alaska’s enrollment rate did not change, and only four states (California, Colorado, Hawaii and Oregon) experienced a drop in Medicare Advantage plan enrollment.
  
  
• Michigan experienced the largest Medicare Advantage plan enrollment growth, at 3.5 percent.
  
  Other states that experienced notable growth include Maine (3.1 percent), Kentucky (2.8 percent), Connecticut (2.4 percent), Indiana (2.3 percent) and Virginia (2.3 percent).
  
  
• 10 states experienced Medicare Advantage plan enrollment growth of 2 percent or more.
  
  
• The states with the highest rates of Medicare Advantage enrollment among all Medicare  beneficiaries in the state include Hawaii (44.4 percent), Florida (43.1 percent), Oregon (42.0 percent), Michigan (41.1 percent) and Alabama (41.0 percent).

The data reflects a trend in increased Medicare Advantage enrollment dating back to 2005, when the enrollment rate was just 13 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries nationwide. It has increased or stayed consistent every year since to reach 34 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries in 2019.²

One contributing factor to increasing enrollment rates may be the decreasing costs of Medicare Advantage plans. The average monthly premium of a Medicare Advantage plan has dropped from $44 in 2010 to $29 per month in 2019.² 

Find out how to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan

Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurers and offer an alternative way for beneficiaries to receive their Original Medicare coverage.

By law, Medicare Advantage plans must provide all of the same benefits as Medicare Part A and Part B. Once those minimum requirements are met, many plans may then offer coverage for things like routine dental, vision, hearing and more. 

Most Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage.

You can call to speak with a licensed insurance agent who can help you compare plans that are available where you live. They can also help you determine your eligibility and help you enroll, if you’re eligible.

You can also compare plans online for free, with no obligation to enroll.

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

About the author

Christian Worstell is a licensed insurance agent and a Senior Staff Writer for MedicareAdvantage.com. He is passionate about helping people navigate the complexities of Medicare and understand their coverage options.

His work has been featured in outlets such as Vox, MSN, and The Washington Post, and he is a frequent contributor to health care and finance blogs.

Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He currently lives in Raleigh, NC.

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