STAT+: Medicare Advantage growth dwindles for a second straight year
The Medicare Advantage program continues to bring in more older adults and people with disabilities, but not nearly at the same rates from just a few years ago.
Almost 35.5 million people were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan as of Feb. 1, up roughly 3% from 34.4 million at the same time in 2025, according to new federal data analyzed by STAT. The growth during Medicare’s annual enrollment window, which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, stagnated — with enrollment increasing just 1%.
By comparison, annual enrollment growth in Medicare Advantage ranged between 7% and 10% between 2017 and 2024, according to historical data analysis by STAT.
Bob Herman
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