Licensed agents who work with Medicare products are on the front lines of a significant shift in healthcare coverage affecting our most vulnerable consumers.

Recent data reveals a troubling trend: lower-income older adults transitioning from Medicaid to Medicare face a steep increase in out-of-pocket medical costs — from $2,600 annually to $3,100 within two years. Meanwhile, a 2021 report showed a strong correlation between consumer satisfaction with out-of-pocket costs and their general health. Those in fair and poor health were 13% and 16.8% dissatisfied, respectively, compared to only 5.2% of those in excellent health reporting dissatisfaction with their out-of-pocket costs.

Joe Brandau