Core Insights - Medicare Advantage plans are increasingly popular among seniors due to attractive perks like dental coverage and gym memberships, but many enrollees do not utilize these benefits [1][6][7] Enrollment Trends - Approximately 34.4 million individuals are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, representing about 54% of all eligible Medicare beneficiaries, a significant increase from 32% a decade ago [6] - The growth in enrollment is largely driven by the appealing additional benefits offered by private insurance companies [6][8] Benefit Utilization - A study from the Commonwealth Fund indicates that while 80% of enrollees consider supplemental benefits important, 30% reported not using any benefits in the past year [4] - Less than half of the enrollees utilized dental, vision, or gym membership benefits, and fewer than 10% took advantage of benefits like hearing aids or meal delivery [5] Awareness and Communication - Many enrollees are unaware of the benefits available to them or how to access them, with about 25% indicating a lack of knowledge regarding their plan's offerings [9] - Notifications about unused benefits could enhance awareness and utilization among Medicare Advantage enrollees [10] Financial Aspects - Medicare Advantage insurers receive approximately $86 billion from the federal government to provide these supplemental benefits, a significant increase from $21 billion in 2018 [8]