Medicare Advantage Benefit Trends for 2022: A First Glimpse

Each year, the health plans that participate in Medicare Advantage (MA) program compete vigorously for new members. This vigorous competition has fueled the program’s 10% annual growth rate in recent years. MA plans can distinguish themselves in the competitive MA market by offering low-cost sharing (e.g., no-cost primary care appointments, no-cost generic drugs) or innovative supplemental benefits (e.g., meals, transportation, in-home support). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees Medicare Advantage, issues data files with all of the 2022 benefits of MA plans in two batches. But until all of those files are released and fully digested, the most accessible glimpse of the 2022 benefits and innovations are the press releases and announcements that many plans offer near the start of MA marketing season in October.

Below is a table of 20 MA organizations and their announced benefits for 2022. Plans were included in the table by virtue of their large size (enrollees as of September 2021) and the presence innovative supplemental benefit offerings in the plan’s press release. The table contains information on the plan and the benefits listed in their press releases for 2022. It is logical to assume that the benefits listed in these announcements will be marketed in the advertisements that are so prominent during television programs with large numbers of senior citizen viewers (and other media). A footnote lists other MA organizations that issued press releases on their 2022 plans and benefits.¹

The frequently listed benefits for 2022 are a mixture of “table stakes” benefits (long standing benefits that nearly all plans offer in competitive markets) and innovative new benefits that might have marketing “sizzle” for attracting new Medicare enrollees. Rx cost-sharing and medical cost-sharing are the most frequently listed benefits; every plan announcement in the table includes cost-sharing reduction and prescription drug cost-sharing reductions. Dental, hearing and vision benefits are table stakes benefits that are also listed in the majority of announcements. Healthy meals and flex cards garnered increased attention in the 2022 plan announcements. This is understandable as flex benefits provide Medicare Advantage members with access to a broad set of items and services for the cost of one benefit to the plan. Finally, this year’s announcements saw increased mentions of healthy meals being provided to members; this is likely in response to the concerns of many seniors about grocery shopping in public areas during the continued COVID-19 public health emergency.