To The Daily Sun,
In 2023, Carroll County had 24 Medicare Advantage plans to chose from. In 2024, it was 12. And this year, none. Thousands of seniors left with no choices.
Carroll County is now a Medicare Advantage desert (unless also qualified for Medicaid, then there is one plan). We’re the only desert in New Hampshire.
Why? The first explanation — it's a rural county with lots of seniors. But there has to be more because other rural aging counties in New Hampshire still have options. Well, they're unhealthy seniors. Really? More unhealthy than seniors in Coos, Belknap or Grafton counties?
If readers go to countyhealthrankings.org, it says: “Carroll County is faring about the same as the average county in New Hampshire for population health and well-being, and better than the average in the nation.”
It says: “Coos County is faring worse than the average county in New Hampshire for population health and well-being, and about the same as the average in the nation."
The Grafton and Belknap county summaries are the same as Carroll. If I lived in Meredith, there are five plans; in Lancaster, there are two plans. Granted, that’s not a lot, but better two or five than none.
If one lives across the border in Oxford County, Maine, there are 25 plans from seven different providers. But if they live in the next door town in Effingham — nada.
Medicare Advantage plans, then called Medicare + Choice plans, were started in the 1990s. Insurance companies were eager to enter into this market, and have served an increasing number of seniors since. Nationally about 54% of eligible people choose medicare advantage plans. Assuming Carroll County is typical (54%), 8,370 seniors just found out they can't get medicare advantage insurance anymore, and their options cost more for less.
Karen Burnett-Kurie
Wolfeboro
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