Vincent Rajkumar: The Disadvantages of Medicare Advantage

Vincent Rajkumar shared a post on X:

“The Disadvantages of Medicare Advantage. Please read our paper before you decide.”

Traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage? The Leukemia and Cancer Perspective

Authors: Hagop Kantarjian, Amer M. Zeidan, Amir T. Fathi, Eytan Stein, Vincent Rajkumar and Ayalew Tefferi.

Pearl Freier, Founder of Cambridge BioPartners, Inc., shared the above post on X, adding:

“Perspectives from oncologists below on most Medicare Advantage plans vs standard Medicare & their recommendations for drug coverage & more. On MA: “issues arise once they have serious or chronic medical problems, which are prevalent among older Americans….The authors recommend considering standard Medicare as a better form of insurance coverage.

In addition, patients should also enroll in Medicare Part D to get prescription drug coverage; buy a supplemental MediGap policy; and buy additional coverage for hearing, vision, and dental care. Although this is a more complicated process, it is also a better one until Medicare Advantage revises its plans to address the current issues facing Americans on such plans who have serious illnesses.”

Bertha Coombs, CNBC Senior Healthcare Reporter, shared a post on X:

“Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment starts today. There will likely be lots of changes to plans this year. It pays to look at physician networks and drug tiers closely, to make sure you have the coverage your need, especially when it comes to cancer care.”

Vincent Rajkumar is a Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Chair for the Mayo Clinic Myeloma, Amyloidosis, and Dysproteinemia Group.  He also chairs the Board of directors of  The International Myeloma Foundation and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Myeloma Committee. His extensive contributions include over 230 peer-reviewed publications, predominantly focusing on multiple myeloma and related plasma cell disorders. Furthermore, Dr. Rajkumar is a Section Editor for multiple myeloma and related disorders for Leukemia and an Associate Editor for the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.