CMS announced Monday Medicare Advantage premiums will not increase, and projected enrollment in the program is expected to hit an all-time high in 2016, breaking its own record for the sixth year in a row.
According to CMS, 59 percent of MA enrollees will not face a premium increase next year. In fact, the average MA premium in 2016 will decrease $0.31 to $32.60. By next year, CMS expects MA premiums will be down 10 percent since the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010.
The lower premiums are complemented by another projected jump in enrollment in 2016, which would put enrollment up 50 percent since 2010 to 17.4 million beneficiaries. As more people become covered by MA plans, coverage is improving too, according to CMS. Now more enrollees — about 65 percent — are covered by plans with four or more stars. This is up significantly since 2009, when just 17 percent of MA enrollees were covered by four-star plans.
CMS also announced earlier this year that Medicare Part D premiums are expected to remain stable in 2016 at $32.50 per month.
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