(Wall Street Journal) – Patients who leave Medicare plans run by private insurance companies in favor of traditional Medicare end up costing the government much more than typical patients, according to a new analysis by health-policy nonprofit KFF, raising the prospect that the private insurers are denying coverage to patients with costly illnesses.

Overall, the patients fleeing private insurance plans cost 27% more in 2022 than traditional Medicare beneficiaries who hadn’t been enrolled in the so-called Medicare Advantage plans, where the government contracts with insurers to oversee care for seniors and disabled people. (Read More)