Every time they open enrollment in Medicare, millions of older adults struggle with the same annual dilemma: stay with their current plan or switch.
Two influential voices—comedian John Oliver and personal finance expert Suze Orman—are making a strong case for ditching Medicare Advantage (MA).
When high-profile figures offer such strong advice, it can be hard to ignore, even among people who are happy with their MA plan.
“If I’m happy with my Medicare Advantage plan, why are these experts pressuring me to leave it?” you might be wondering. The answer is complicated. And the debate highlights how fractured and confused America’s medical landscape has become.
At the end of October, Last week tonight host 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 inflating patient risk scores to increase federal payments and using restrictive networks and prior authorizations to limit care.
“When you take all of this together, you get a system where the incentives are clearly set for insurance companies to make you look as sick as possible on paper while doing as little as possible to help you when you need it,” he summarized.
Personal finance expert Suze Orman also criticized MA. In a widely shared post, she argued that original Medicare is “better” and warned that major insurers — including UnitedHealthcare and Humana — are terminating or consolidating plans through 2026, leaving older adults vulnerable to unexpected changes in premiums, networks and benefits. (2)
Orman urged MA enrollees to carefully review their annual change notice and consider switching back to traditional Medicare while they still can.
Despite the backlash, some MA users insist that the plans work well for them because of the financial costs.
“I’ve had MA for eight years and never spent more than $200 or $300 in a given year on co-pays,” wrote one Reddit user. (3)
Another said John Oliver “could hurt a lot of people”, suggesting that MA is universally bad. These users argue that while MA has its flaws, it remains the only accessible path for many. (4)
On LinkedIn, former CVS Health and UnitedHealth CEO Adam Korn questioned Oliver’s criticism (5).
Korn pointed out that:
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Two-thirds of customers are satisfied with their coverage — whether it’s MA or traditional Medicare.
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MA includes annual slabs for out-of-pocket payments that Original Medicare does not.
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MA plans offer additional benefits such as dental, vision, hearing, transportation, and meal delivery.
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The new CMS rules aim to strengthen oversight and reduce AI-driven denials by speeding up prior authorizations and forcing transparency.
For many low-income or chronically ill seniors, MA provides more comprehensive support than the traditional program.
Read more: This is the quiet portfolio shift many wealthy investors are making in 2026. Should you consider it too?
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 offer bundled hospital, medical and drug coverage plus supplements. Limits doctors to one network—and going out of network can be expensive—but limits annual out-of-pocket expenses. (7)
Almost all doctors accept Original Medicare. But this:
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covers only 80% of most medical costs (Part B).
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does not offer an out-of-pocket maximum.
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often require older adults to purchase Medigap and Part D plans to avoid steep bills.
You can switch from MA to traditional Medicare during open enrollment, which runs from October 15 to December 7 or from January 1 to March 31. (8)
If you switch, you may also need to purchase a Medigap policy.
There is no universal answer.
Stay 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 appreciate the dental/vision/hearing benefits.
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You cannot 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 flexibility to national suppliers.
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Worried about MA plan terminations.
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Prior authorizations have disrupted your care.
Millions of older adults rely on MA because it better fits their budgets and health needs. If you are confused about your options, consult a licensed insurance broker (9), financial advisor, or State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) (10) counselor in your state.
We only rely on verified sources and credible third-party reports. For details, see our ethics and editorial 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. Offered without warranty of any kind.
