Medicare Advantage deductibles more than double: Survey

[Duaine]

The average deductible for a Medicare Advantage plan more than doubled to $315 from 2024 to 2025, according to a March 26 survey from online broker eHealth.

eHealth's new analysis examined costs and plan selection trends for more than 250,000 applications from last fall's annual enrollment period between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7. Medicare Advantage in the survey was defined as plans that include prescription drug coverage and those that do not.

The average deductible for MA plans during the enrollment period was $315, compared to $132 in 2024, or an increase of 139%.

The overall average monthly premium for MA plans decreased from $9 per month to $5 per month, largely because beneficiaries were more likely to enroll in plans with zero-dollar premiums.

The average monthly premium for Part D plans increased 24% year over year, from $29 to $36 in 2025, the highest in at least eight years.
[EXTERNAL LINK] - Medicare Advantage deductibles more than double: Survey - Becker's Payer Issues | Payer News

 

[yorkriver1]

I have seen $300-1000 deductibles on some MAPD's this year.
Normally some perk(s) in the plans with deductibles are a draw for healthier people but I try to steer away from deductibles, as the client is likely to forget. For anyone not super familiar, a deductible (usually applied to some but not all medical expenses in the plan) is different from the maximum out of pocket that accumulates the annual out of pocket medical costs in Medicare Advantage plans. Out of pocket would include costs for medical procedures and hospitalization, for example. Drug costs for those from the pharmacy are from a separate coverage type under Part D rules, often attached to a Medicare Advantage plan but not always.