A report published last month by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds that one in three Medicare beneficiaciaries have enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. This is up from 18% in 1999. The good news is that for those agencies having trouble breaking into Medicare Advantage plans, the majority of seniors still use traditional Medicare. Also, if Medicare Advantage is a challenge for your agency, you can improve your odds by skewing your marketing to the more rural parts of your service area. On the other hand, if participation in Medicare Advantage plans is one of your advantages, this advantage will carry more weight in the population centers.

Medicare advantage plans are concentrated on the high population areas. There are only about 15 hot zones nationwide where Medicare Advantage makes up more than half of the Medicare market. In the majority of American counties, Advantage plans still make up less than 30%.

Kaiser Family Foundation Medicare Advantage County Penetration Map

Nationwide, the largest Medicare Advantage plans are:

  • UnitedHealthcare – 26%
  • Humana – 18%
  • Blue Cross / Blue Shield – 15%
  • CVS / Aetna – 10%
  • Kaiser Permanente – 7%
  • Wellcare – 2%
  • Cigna – 2%
  • Other companies with 1% or less – 19%