MedPAC: Medicare Paid MA Plans $38 billion for Non-Medicare Services in 2024

[annon123]

Carriers that offered SilverSneakers found that roughly 15% actually used the program.

SilverSneakers charges carriers a flat fee which is absorbed by carriers that offer the program with MA or Medigap plans.

UHC uses Renew now (no idea why they bailed from SilverSneakers). I'd suspect they don't absorb the cost though because the G+ with Renew, dental and eye costs about $70/mo more (when I compared it for a 71 non-smoking female year old last Nov) than the G without them (not all states have both, supposedly they are slowly rolling that out nationwide). So much for "no cost to you" extra benefits that G+ offers.

 

[axeman462]

UHC uses Renew now (no idea why they bailed from SilverSneakers). I'd suspect they don't absorb the cost though because the G+ with Renew, dental and eye costs about $70/mo more (when I compared it for a 71 non-smoking female year old last Nov) than the G without them (not all states have both, supposedly they are slowly rolling that out nationwide). So much for "no cost to you" extra benefits that G+ offers.

UHC bailed on silver sneakers to manage the benefit in house. According to them silver sneakers was an expensive benefit that only 10-15% of the members used and wasn't worth the contract with silver sneakers anymore.

However, research had showed that the 10-15% that used it, LOVED the benefit and would change plans over losing that benefit.

So to cut costs and to keep that block of business happy, they brought the benefit in-house. The result was successful.

 

[axeman462]

Children. Children should have the most help.

If we are not paying for rec memberships for poor kids.... we should not be paying for gym memberships for seniors who had a lifetime to save.

If we are not paying for kids food.... we should not be paying for seniors food.

And health insurance, should pay for neither.

If a senior needs assistance, there should be a real direct assistance program for them. Not a sales incentive for a meager bit of extra dollars.

I agree with this. As someone who is is very pro-MAPD I believe that the plans need to get to where they about 10 years ago, and focus more on the core benefits.

Dr Oz has actually said this same this thing. He wants to have the plans get rid of many of the ancillary benefits, and focus on actual health care; streamline prior authorizations, reduce the amount of procedures that require PA, expand networks etc..

There is no reason that MA plans where I live should be paying for my customer's dog food.

Let's get back to health insurance being health insurance.

 

[straightnochaser]

I agree with this. As someone who is is very pro-MAPD I believe that the plans need to get to where they about 10 years ago, and focus more on the core benefits.

Dr Oz has actually said this same this thing. He wants to have the plans get rid of many of the ancillary benefits, and focus on actual health care; streamline prior authorizations, reduce the amount of procedures that require PA, expand networks etc..

There is no reason that MA plans where I live should be paying for my customer's dog food.

Let's get back to health insurance being health insurance.

This is such a disingenuous argument - very few plans pay for dog food and the ones that do require full Medicaid.

 

[axeman462]

This is such a disingenuous argument - very few plans pay for dog food and the ones that do require full Medicaid.

Nope.

And even if you were right, just because it's medi/medi that makes it ok?

Health insurance should not be paying for an Uber ride, pest control services, rent, cleaning supplies, Internet etc..

But your not right.

Welcome to Florida.

 

[Medicare bro]

Your suffering has nothing to do with seniors getting gym memberships on an MAPD. Time to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and work a little harder.

I don't think you are understanding what I am saying.