The percentage of Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolling in Medicare Advantage managed care plans has remained flat during the last six months of 2005. According to data from CMS made available by VNAA, 13% of Medicare beneficiaries across the country were enrolled in Medicare Advantage as of December 30; the same % as in July of 2005.

That’s good news for home health agencies who are not positioned to compete for managed care contracts, and who have had the experience of losing money on their managed care business in the past. You’ll recall that the home health industry spend millions of dollars and millions of staff hours in the mid 1990s getting ready to compete for managed care business that never really materialized. And those agencies that were successful getting the contracts ususually did not come out very well economically.

What do you see happening with Medicare Advantage plans in your marketplace? Add your comments below.