The experts at Health Management Associates (HMA) have released Medicare Advantage Supplemental Benefit Flexibilities: An Early Assessment of Adoption and Policy Opportunities for Expanded Access. The white paper examines the factors contributing to a Medicare Advantage plan’s decision to offer or not offer newly available supplemental benefits and opportunities and challenges with adoption and implementation. Newly available supplemental benefits are intended to address unmet health and social needs.
HMA further sought to understand the extent to which Medicare Advantage enrollees had access to these benefits when eligible, and the effectiveness of these benefits as a tool to contain costs, improve outcomes, and increase enrollee engagement and satisfaction.
The report outlines seven key insights and accompanying policy considerations aimed towards promoting evidence-based benefit designs; expanding Medicare Advantage organization willingness to adopt the flexible benefits; and enhancing beneficiary involvement, access, and usage of these benefits.
HMA colleagues Narda Ipakchi, Mary Hsieh, Sarah Barth, and Jonathan Blum contributed to the report which follows up on a previous report providing a snapshot of early adoption of these benefits.
This analysis was funded by a grant from Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy dedicated to tackling some of the most pressing problems in the United States.