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Life Health > Health Insurance > Medicare Planning

Higher-Income Medicare Enrollees Worry About Provider Access

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Many Medicare enrollees with annual household incomes over $100,000 seem to be thinking more about coverage quality than about the monthly premium.

Analysts at eHealth, a web-based health insurance broker, reported that finding in a survey drawn from responses from 4,567 consumers who bought Medicare Advantage or Medicare supplement insurance coverage through eHealth.

About 49% of the survey participants with income of $100,000 or more said access to their preferred doctors and hospitals was their top coverage shopping priority, and just 14% said an affordable premium was their top priority.

Only 26% of the participants with income over $100,000 said their satisfaction with Medicare has increased over the past year, compared with 31% of the participants with income from $50,000 to $75,000.

Survey managers also found that consumers at all income levels who shop for coverage with eHealth tend to be active coverage shoppers: 39% have been enrolled in their current coverage for one year or less; about 38% have been enrolled in the current coverage for two years or longer.

About 48% said a licensed agent did the most to explain Medicare options, and licensed agents ranked as the most popular source of Medicare plan information.

About 40% said friends and family members did the most to help them understand Medicare.

(Image:  Syda Productions)


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