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 strong case for abandoning Medicare Advantage (MA).
When high-profile people give such strong advice, it can be hard to ignore, even among people who are satisfied with their MA plans.
“If I’m happy with my Medicare Advantage plan, why are these experts pressuring me to leave it?” You can ask yourself. The answer is complicated. And the debate highlights how fractured and confusing America’s health care landscape has become.
At the end of October, Last week tonight Organizer John Oliver devoted a critical 31-minute segment to MA, arguing that the program is “woefully inadequate,” riddled with denials and delays, and costly to taxpayers. (1)
Oliver accused major insurers of increasing federal payments and increasing patient risk scores to use restrictive networks and prior authorizations to limit care.
“When you take all of this together, you get a system where the incentive for insurance companies is clearly set 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 Suje Orman has also been criticizing MA. In a widely shared post, she argued that original Medicare is “good” and warned that major insurers — including UnitedHealthcare and Humana — are ending or consolidating plans by 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 returning to traditional Medicare while they still can.
Despite the feedback, some MA users insist that the plans work best 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 copays in a year,” wrote one Reddit user. (3)
Another said John Oliver could “hurt a lot of people” by implying that MA is universally bad. These users argue that while MA has its flaws, for many it is the only affordable route. (4)
On LinkedIn, former CVS Health and UnitedHealth executive Adam Korn questioned Oliver’s criticism (5).
Korn points out that:
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Two-thirds of customers are satisfied with their coverage—whether MA or traditional Medicare.
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MA includes annual out-of-pocket caps, which original Medicare does not.
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MA schemes offer supplementary benefits such as dental, vision, hearing, transport and food distribution support.
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The new CMS rules aim to tighten oversight and reduce AI-driven denials, speed up prior authorizations and strengthen transparency.
For very low-income or chronically ill seniors, MA provides more comprehensive support than traditional programs.
Read more: This is the quiet portfolio shift most wealthy investors will make in 2026. Should you even consider it?
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 usually bundle hospital, medical and drug coverage, plus extras. It limits doctors to in-network — and going out-of-network can be expensive — but it caps annual out-of-pocket expenses. (7)
Almost all doctors accept Original Medicare. But this:
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Most cover only 80% of Medicare (Part B) costs.
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Offers no out-of-pocket maximum.
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Most require older adults to purchase Medigap and Part D plans to avoid large bills.
You can switch from MA to traditional Medicare during open enrollment, which runs from October 15 to December 7, or January 1 to March 31. (8)
If you switch, you may also need to purchase a Medigap policy.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
Stick with MA if:
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Your plan covers your doctors.
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Your medicines are affordable.
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You rarely need expensive care.
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You rate dental/vision/hearing benefits.
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You can’t afford Medigap premiums.
Consider switching to Original Medicare if:
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You have a complex or chronic medical condition.
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You want national provider flexibility.
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You are concerned about the termination of the MA scheme.
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Prior authorizations have interfered with your care.
Millions of older adults rely on MA because it best fits their budget and health needs. If you are confused about your options, consult with a licensed insurance broker (9), a financial advisor or an advisor in your state’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) (10).
We rely only on vetted sources and reliable 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.
