GAO report: Medicare Advantage enrollment still rising

Democrats applauded the report's findings that enrollment in Medicare's private plans continues to grow at a brisk pace.

Kaiser Health News: Enrollment Still Growing In Medicare Advantage Plans, GAO Says
Despite predictions that last year's health law would doom Medicare's private insurance plans, it's not happening – at least not yet. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans continues to grow at a brisk pace, rising to 8.4 million beneficiaries by April 2011, about a 6 percent increase from April 2010, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (Carey, 12/1).

CQ HealthBeat: Democrats Trumpet Rising Enrollment, Falling Premiums In MA Program
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Nancy-Ann DeParle joined two Senate Democrats Thursday in calling attention to rising enrollment and falling premiums in the Medicare Advantage program -; results contrary to Republican predictions of what would happen to the program under the health law. "President Obama is committed to making Medicare stronger and today's report is another sign that the Affordable Care Act is working for America's seniors," DeParle said in a blog post. According to a new report by the Government Accountability Office, enrollment in the most common types of Medicare Advantage plans grew 6 percent from April 2010 to April 2011, and monthly premiums dropped on average from $28 to $24, a decline of 14 percent. Benefits remained stable, and the percentage of plans with limits on out-of-pocket spending increased from 74 percent to 100 percent (Reichard, 12/1).