More States Offer Health Benefits to Retirees Exclusively Through MA Plans

June 6

As of this year, a dozen states provide health coverage to their Medicare-eligible retirees only through Medicare Advantage plans, according to a recent KFF review.

Employer-sponsored health care coverage for retirees was generally designed to coordinate with or wrap around traditional Medicare. Yet over the past few years, many states have shifted to contracts with private insurers to provide all Medicare-covered benefits and extra benefits for their retirees. These moves may help states reduce spending on retiree health costs and simplify administration.

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Radar on Medicare Advantage

Jinghong Chen Reporter

Jinghong has been producing infographics and data stories on employer-sponsored insurance, public health insurance programs and prescription drug coverage for AIS Health’s Health Plan Weekly and Radar on Drug Benefits since 2018. She also manages AIS Health’s annual executive compensation database for top insurers and Blue Cross and Blue Shield affiliates. Before joining AIS Health, she interned at WBEZ, Al Jazeera English and The New York Times Chinese. She graduated from Missouri School of Journalism with a focus on data journalism and international reporting.