they wouldn't be spending so much on advertising via TV and all the print materials we end up being deluged with this time of year! And how would they make all that money that makes the marketing worthwhile? Limiting what they pay out, IOW, limiting what services they will cover. IOW, bean counters making medical decisions with the cover of doctors in the employ of the companies pretending they are making decisions for your health and not the bottom line of the companies who pay them.

If they weren't raking in a ton of money, they wouldn't be bombarding us with BS ads to stampede us into thinking they are on our side.

marketing, that it's from enormous profits made from deception and scamming. It says a lot about our messed up system that's so predatory and money driven. It ruins lives.

I think I may have figured that one out.

At least since the Affordable Care Act, there is a limit to how much profit these companies can make (as a percentage of revenue), which was presumably done to put some kind of brakes on the sheer profit motive. BUT... marketing is an expense. So let's say their corporate profits are capped at 10%... but they discover they are on track to make 15%. They might have to give up that excess to the pool where excess profit goes... BUT if they instead spend that extra 5% profit on advertising, it's not profit anymore, it's an expense. So instead of "giving away" the excess 5%, they use it for marketing to get more customers. All that marketing, then, basically costs them nothing, because if they didn't spend that money on some legit expense, they would just have to give it up.

I think this is basically right, but it's only my own conclusion after reading some basic info about the profit structure of MA. If anyone has more detail (including correction, if I'm missing something), chime in...

Well done, and thanks for additional insight.

Do not forget, insurance companies, health, life, home, auto, do not sit on the monthly premiums we pay them. That money is generally invested on Wall Street. When the Street pays off well, they get a lot of bang for their (our) bucks. When the market falls and stays down for a spell OUR insurance rates generally go up.

Advantage plans are just another insurance plan. Or, do as a friend does and find a practice that accepts Medicare. She has to make appointments 3 months in advance due to demand, so she goes to Urgent Care for unexpected illness.

Regular Medicare. There are other problems as well
When something looks to good to be true, it usually is

I’ve been bashed for brining this up saying it’s a broad statement devoid of facts. As I have posted this same thing many times WITH LINKS I will just let the doubting reader look it up for themselves. HINT: There’s a great NPR story on it

$200 a month for MediGap and $40 or so a month drug plan, MA is about the only option unless you qualify for Medicaid.

And, giving up $1500 a year in dental coverage, $300 a year for OTC meds and food, meals for a few weeks after a major surgical procedure, etc., is tough for someone living on $1500 a month.

That's why over 50% of Medicare beneficiaries now select Medicare Advantage.

It's good Daily Kos, CommonDreams, etc., are here to tell all those people how stupid they are. [Do I need a sarcasm thingy?]

PS: I hate the ads too. But once about 60% of Medicare beneficiaries have MA, companies will cut back on advertising because they've captured the market of people who feel MA is best for them. And, you can bet any future attempts to improve Medicare will have to involve these type plans, or it will be a non-starter for enough Congresspeople to block legislation. So, we'll all go nuts -- railing against the damn insurance companies -- and 20 years from now we'll still be sitting here in the same situation as now.

Oh, for those who dislike prior-authorizations, traditional Medicare is now requiring authorization for these procedures, with more on-line for future.
https://www.cms.gov/data-research/monitoring-programs/medicare-fee-service-compliance-programs/prior-authorization-and-pre-claim-review-initiatives/prior-authorization-certain-hospital-outpatient-department-opd-services

the reality is that here in the US the insurance industry is making billions of dollars each year from our current system and I am not naive enough to believe that they are going to give that up. And with the increasing enrollment in Advantage plans, they will very soon be the dominate controlling factor of the Medicare program. So it seems that any major reforms for the protection and benefit of participants are at this point no more than wishful thinking. Sad indeed, but reality. It's always about the money.

government payors. I used this dermatology practice many years ago when I first moved to the area, but stopped using them because the doctor was such a jerk. He had a good staff, but he acted like such a clown and I felt demeaned every time I saw him. He was on the Medicare/Medicaid gravy train and got caught. I now use a different practice with much better results.

"have agreed to pay $6.6 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims to federal healthcare programs for Mohs Micrographic Surgeries and other dermatological procedures.”

I have an Advantage plan, and I've never needed prior approval for anything I've needed. My out of pocket costs have been minuscule in the 10 years I've been on that plan. Let's see, heart attack, stent, then a three day stay in the hospital. I paid a couple of hundred dollars. Broken arm, which resulted in ER visit, then follow up with an orthopedist, and then one round of physical therapy, which I could have cancelled and saved the $25.00 co-pay but felt I really ought to check in with someone who knew more than I did. I always heal really fast, and I knew I didn't need PT as I'd (this is three weeks after the break) had gained full mobility in the arm, and no longer had any pain) but I figured it wouldn't hurt to have someone who knew more than I did, check it out.

Why, oh why, oh why do people here keep on starting these threads to trash Advantage plans? What is in it for them? What is their agenda? How is my Advantage plan hurting them?