California Counties See Drastically Different Medicare Advantage Enrollment [Video]

California has stark differences in senior health care when it comes to its northern and southern counties.

Across the country, Medicare Advantage has become increasingly popular among Medicare beneficiaries.

The privatized version of Medicare often sees insurers offer lower premiums, with vision and dental coverage added on. Altogether, more than 50 percent of eligible Medicare recipients are on the private plans, but a new report from health policy research firm KFF found drastic differences between Medicare Advantage enrollment in California regions.

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The market penetration for Medicare Advantage was significantly lower in northern countries, while the southern parts of California often saw enrollment rates above 55 percent, data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services showed.

California differed from other populous states, such as Florida, which saw somewhat consistent percentages of Medicare-eligible residents on private plans.

Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, said California, specifically its northern …