Disadvantaged areas less likely to have high-quality Medicare Advantage plans, study finds

The quality of Medicare Advantage plans on offer to seniors can vary depending on where they live, with poorer, non-white communities less likely to have access to top-rated health plans, states research by institutions including NYU and Brown University. The paper, focusing on star ratings from 2023, argued those living in socially vulnerable communities needed more financial support, and urged star ratings to be given at a plan level, rather than at a contract level.