The U.S. Mid-East's Medicare Advantage Enrollment Growth by State

With normally lower costs and more benefits, Medicare Advantage plans are a great value compared to Original Medicare.  Despite often having managed care protocols and fewer provider choices, MA plans are drawing more and more Medicare eligible seniors away from Original Medicare.  As of December 2021, about 27.3 million Americans were enrolled in MA plans, an increase of more than 55% from December 2016 levels.  In contrast, during this same five-year time span the total Medicare eligible population only grew by about 11%.

The popularity of Medicare Advantage plans nationally is mirrored in the Mid-East region of the country, where MA plan enrollment grew at an average rate of 8% per year over the past five years, more than four times faster than rate of growth of the region's Medicare eligible population during this period.  Here is a closer look at the U.S. Mid-East's Medicare Advantage enrollment growth by state over the last five years:

The U.S. Mid-East's Medicare Advantage Enrollment Growth by State

	Medicare Eligible *			MA Enrollment *			Annual % Growth
State	12/21	12/16		12/21	12/16		Eligible	MedAdv
DC	94.9	91.0		24.6	7.3		0.8%	27.5%
DE	223.9	188.7		52.3	17.1		3.5%	25.1%
MD	1,080.9	973.2		177.4	53.6		2.1%	27.1%
NJ	1,667.4	1,542.5		588.8	257.7		1.6%	18.0%
NY	3,731.1	3,454.9		1,734.2	1,283.1		1.6%	6.2%
PA	2,818.9	2,616.7		1,314.9	1,029.6		1.5%	5.0%
Region	9,617.0	8,867.0		3,892.1	2,648.5		1.6%	8.0%
U.S.**	63,710.0	57,388.1		27,294.4	17,562.2		2.1%	9.2%

* Medicare Eligible and MA Enrollment numbers in thousands, as of December 2021 and December 2016
** U.S. totals include territories
Numbers may not total due to rounding

Source: Medicare Monthly Enrollment by State Reports