For the past several years I've been on a Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plan. I've never used it; I'm generally healthy and when necessary for minor stuff, I travel abroad and get excellent treatment at a fraction of the deductible costs. Plus, I don't have to put up with the constant harassment by mail and telephone that my insurer pressures me with to get treatments I don't need: They assume that the statistics they have on a large population apply to every individual. I get kits for colon cancer detection by mail without having ever talked to my doctor about it, followed by hundreds of phone calls and reminders by e-mail and mail, the cost of which is the driver for the high costs of healthcare in the US.
I once received, again without any reason, a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine that supposedly prevents apnea during sleep. It is a ridiculous contraption you're supposed to wear when you sleep: For someone who used to scuba dive for years, I would never sleep in my scuba diving equipment!! I had to repackage the whole thing and send it back with a wrapped gift of insults.
Tomorrow Dec. 31 I will no longer be covered by my Medical Health insurer under Medicare Adavantage. They told me so last October without any explanation. They didn't say they are canceling the plan and didn't offer an alternative plan. They didn't say they are relocating out of state. Nothing. Their "formula" is pure American filthy marketing: "As of December 31, you will no longer be covered under plan X", and suggested that if I didn't seek another Advantage insurer I will probably be reverted back to Original Medicare. I wrote several letters to them to clarify my options, but never got any response from them.
I had been thinking of going to Original Medicare anyway. The advantages of Original Medicare are that you can use it in any state; it doesn't bind you to your state of residence like Medicare Advantage does. And I assume that Original Medicare, as a direct government provider, will not be flooding me with marketing gimmicks and fancy expensive glossy reading materials.
One thing people must keep in mind. "Advantage" (or Medicare Part C) is a derivative of Medicare Part B that was lobbied in place by the medical insurance cartel. Conservatives and republicans always want to shove the private sector into government business. So to undermine government-based services, the lobbyists managed to force the government into subcontracting its services to the private health insurance mafia. Sure, it doesn't cost the Medicare recipient any more than the $202 he/she pays per month out of their social security check, as long as he/she sticks to the basics. But the insurer creates a floral arrangement above and beyond the basics, with enticements for dental, vision, yoga BS, etc. for which you'd have to pay more.
I personally find US government services by far easier and more reliable than private providers of services. My experiences with the social security administration, INS (immigration services before the Trump wolves attacked the barn), the Library of Congress, the National Institutes of Health (which Trump had defunded), etc..... have always been impeccable and reliable, and without the marketing, the lies, and sales pitch of private companies. And the worst part of it all, is that they have brainwashed the American public into believing otherwise. The average American citizen snickers with a smirk when talking about government services, with the implication that they are substandard. I've always found that strange.
Bottom line: Removing the intermediary (insurance companies) between the doctor and the patient makes life simpler and predictable. What (they make you think) you're saving by going with Medicare Advantage, you end up paying with your peace of mind and control of your health. For myself, I keep Medicare only for extreme medical circumstances. For day to day health issues, I rely on myself, and as I said earlier, I've had a couple of relatively minor surgeries overseas where medical care is excellent and much cheaper. I think not having to deal with a fickle, greedy, harassing and equally - if not more - expensive private insurance industry is a big ADVANTAGE!
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Thinking of ditching Medicare Advantage? Here’s why John Oliver and Suze Orman say you should. But are they right?
Monique Danao
Mon, December 29, 2025
Getty Images / YouTube
Every time Medicare open enrollment comes around, millions of older adults wrestle with the same annual dilemma: stick with their current plan or switch.
Two influential voices — comedian John Oliver and personal finance expert Suze Orman — are making a forceful case for abandoning Medicare Advantage (MA).
When high-profile figures offer such strong advice, it can be hard to ignore, even among the people who are satisfied with their MA plan.
“If I’m satisfied with my Medicare Advantage plan, why are these experts pressuring me to leave it?” you might be asking yourself. The answer is complicated. And the debate highlights just how fractured and confusing America’s health-care landscape has become.
Why Oliver and Orman are sounding the alarm?
In late October, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver devoted a critical 31-minute segment to MA, arguing that the program is “woefully insufficient,” riddled with denials and delays, and costly to taxpayers. (1)
Oliver accused major insurers of inflating patient risk scores to drive up federal payments and using restrictive networks and prior authorizations to limit care.
“When you take all this together, you get a system where the incentives are clearly set up for insurance companies to make you look as sick as possible on paper, while doing as little as possible to help you when you actually need it,” he summarized.
Personal finance expert Suze Orman has also been criticizing MA. In a widely shared post, she argued that Original Medicare is “better” and warned that major insurers — including UnitedHealthcare and Humana — are terminating or consolidating plans for 2026, leaving older adults vulnerable to unexpected changes in premiums, networks and benefits. (2)
Orman urged MA enrollees to carefully review their annual notice of change and consider switching back to traditional Medicare while they still can.
Medicare Advantage has flaws, but it’s affordable and improving.
Despite the backlash, some MA users insist the plans work well for them because of their financial costs.
“I’ve had MA for eight years, and I’ve never spent more than $200 or $300 in a given year on copays,” one Reddit user wrote. (3)
Another said John Oliver “could harm a lot of folks” by implying MA is universally bad. These users argue that while MA has flaws, it remains the only affordable route for many. (4)
On LinkedIn, former CVS Health and UnitedHealth executive Adam Korn questioned Oliver’s criticism (5).
Korn pointed out that:
- Two-thirds of customers are satisfied with their coverage — whether MA or traditional Medicare.
- MA includes annual out-of-pocket caps, which Original Medicare does not.
- MA plans offer supplemental benefits such as dental, vision, hearing, transportation and meal delivery support.
- New CMS rules aim to tighten oversight and reduce AI-driven denials, speeding up prior authorizations and forcing transparency.
For many low-income or chronically ill seniors, MA provides more comprehensive support than the traditional program.
Should you consider it too?
More than 62.7 million Americans rely on Medicare, and about 35 million are enrolled in Medicare Advantage. (6)
Private insurers offer Medicare Advantage (Part C) and typically bundle hospital, medical and drug coverage, plus extras. It limits doctors to a network —and going out-of-network can be costly — but it caps annual out-of-pocket expenses. (7)
Nearly all doctors accept original Medicare. But it:
- covers only 80% of most medical (Part B) costs.
- offers no out-of-pocket maximum.
- often requires older adults to buy Medigap and Part D plans to avoid steep bills.
You can switch from MA to traditional Medicare during open enrollment, which runs from October 15 to December 7, or from January 1 to March 31. (8)
If you do switch, you may also need to purchase a Medigap policy.
Should you dump your Medicare Advantage plan?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Stick with MA if:
- Your plan covers your doctors.
- Your medications are affordable.
- You rarely need expensive care.
- You value dental/vision/hearing benefits.
- You cannot afford Medigap premiums.
Consider switching to Original Medicare if:
- You have a complex or chronic medical condition.
- You want national provider flexibility.
- You worry about MA plan terminations.
- Prior authorizations have disrupted your care.
Millions of older adults rely on MA because it better fits their budgets and health needs. If you're confused about your options, consult a licensed insurance broker (9), a financial advisor or a counsellor at your state's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) (10).
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
YouTube (1); Suze Orman (2); Reddit (3); (4); LinkedIn (5); CMS (6); AARP (7); KFF (8); National Council on Aging (NCOA) (9); State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) (10).
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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