It was sold as a way for private insurance to take on Medicare patients and save the government money. Instead it costs more money because Advantage patients are now costing more than original Medicare patients. Plus, the plans vary widely, as does the actual quality of healthcare. Some people get good results on Advantage plans, while other have nothing but complaints about insurers adding on costs or refusing to pay fir treatment.
Advantage was an attempt by the insurance industry to privatize Medicare and thus make a fortune in premiums. They’re succeeding because people want the extra services not covered by Medicare. Then when they become the only providers by getting the government out of Medicare entirely, they can raise prices and cut services as insurers frequently do.
I chose original Medicare because I can go to the doctors of my choice, not just a few doctors in the insurer’s network. I don’t need an authorization to see a specialist of my choice. My doctors and I make the decisions about my medical care, not a profit-driven insurance stooge. And if I need medical care while traveling to another state, I am not charged extra because I’m out of network.
Preserving original Medicare is worth doing because at some point we may find it has all been privatized and is no better than the thousands of for-profit healthcare plans offered by insurance companies. I had private insurance through employers my whole working life, and I can say for sure that Medicare is much better and less a hassle than any private insurance I ever had.