A Government Accountability Office report examined Medicare Advantage utilization rates and found a disproportionately high number of beneficiaries dropped coverage as they became sicker, NPR reports.
Here's what you should know:
1. The GAO reviewed 126 accountability plans. Thirty-five plans had a disproportionately high number of people dropping coverage as their illness worsened.
2. Patients most often dropped coverage because of limited access to preferred providers.
3. The government office did not name the 35 plans, but noted the plans had less than 15,000 members each and received poor scores on quality measures. In 2014, 24 plans had one out of five patients drop coverage.
4. Researchers urged federal health officials to consider transitioning beneficiaries away from the possibly "underperforming" plans.