A quick roundup of the issues driving the healthcare reform conversation.

Week in Review

WHAT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE CUT MEANS FOR SENIORS

Quick takeaway: Seniors who choose Medicare Advantage (MA) plans face a potential $33/month increase in cost-sharing or reduction in supplemental benefits next year.

Digging Deeper: These increased costs will hit vulnerable MA seniors especially hard. According to the  research , “Medicare Advantage enrollees were more likely to have incomes below $20,000 per person, live in urban areas, and have lower levels of education.”

What it means: Medicare Advantage is a critical program to more than 33 million American seniors, many of whom live on a fixed incomes and come from historically disadvantaged communities – any increase in out-of-pocket costs next year, coupled with recent inflation will impact these communities.

THE MOST EXPENSIVE STATES FOR HEALTHCARE 2024

Quick takeaway: Unexpected medical bills and the cost of healthcare services are the top two financial worries for Americans this year according to a Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) health tracking poll – 45% of adults are very worried about being able to afford unexpected medical bills, while 39% are very worried about their ability to cover the cost of healthcare services.

Digging Deeper: Four of the top 10 most expensive states for healthcare are battleground states, including: North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Arizona.

What it means: With a closely divided electorate going into an Election Year, Gallup reports 39 percent of voters have said they’d be willing to cross party lines to vote for a candidate whose top priority is reducing healthcare costs.

REDUCING HEALTHCARE COSTS AT TOP OF PEW STUDY OF AMERICANS’ CONCERNS

Quick takeaway: A recent study by Pew of Americans’ top policy priorities for 2024 included “reducing healthcare costs” within the top 4 areas of concern.

Digging deeper: This isn’t surprising. More and more Americans are impacted by the rising price of healthcare within the United States – and are looking for solutions from lawmakers.

What it means: The rising cost of healthcare has meant some have had to put off needed care. According to a recent study , 1 in 4 say that in the past 12 months they have skipped or postponed getting healthcare they needed because of the cost.

Spotlight

The  Health Action Network  includes everyday Americans—families, workers, businesses, patients, providers, neighbors, and friends. We are working together because we support market-based solutions that offer better healthcare choices and help build a stronger economy. The  Health Action Network  is an Elevance Health , Inc., initiative.