Study: Medicare Beneficiaries More Satisfied Than Privately Insured Adults

Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older are more satisfied with their coverage, have better access to care and are less likely to experience problems paying medical bills compared to working-age adults with private insurance, according to a recent Commonwealth Fund study published in Health Affairs.

The study's data comes from a 2010 Commonwealth Fund health insurance survey of 4,000 adults in the U.S. Here are several key findings from the study:

• Thirty-three percent of adults purchasing coverage in the individual market and 20 percent with employer-sponsored insurance considered their coverage "fair or poor," compared to only 8 percent of Medicare beneficiaries.
• Adults enrolled in individual or employer-sponsored plans reported medical bill problems at almost double the rate of Medicare beneficiaries.
• Fifty-eight percent of adults with individual insurance and 37 percent with employer-sponsored coverage reported spending more than 10 percent of their income on medical bills, compared to 29 percent of Medicare beneficiaries.
• Senior citizens enrolled in traditional Medicare plans were a bit more satisfied with their plans compared to those with Medicare Advantage.

The study concludes that because Medicare beneficiaries are generally satisfied with their plans, policymakers should "proceed with caution when considering options to move beneficiaries to private plans."

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