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 forceful case for abandoning Medicare Advantage (MA).
When high-profile figures offer such strong advice, it can be hard to ignore, even among the people who are satisfied with their MA plan.
“If I’m satisfied with my Medicare Advantage plan, why are these experts pressuring me to leave it?” you might be asking yourself. The answer is complicated. And the debate highlights just how fractured and confusing America’s health-care landscape has become.
In late October, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver devoted a critical 31-minute segment to MA, arguing that the program is “woefully insufficient,” riddled with denials and delays, and costly to taxpayers. (1)
Oliver accused major insurers of inflating patient risk scores to drive up federal payments and using restrictive networks and prior authorizations to limit care.
“When you take all this together, you get a system where the incentives are clearly set up for insurance companies 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 Suze Orman has also been criticizing 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 for 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 switching back to traditional Medicare while they still can.
Despite the backlash, some MA users insist the plans work well 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 a given year on copays,” one Reddit user wrote. (3)
Another said John Oliver “could harm a lot of folks” by implying MA is universally bad. These users argue that while MA has flaws, it remains the only affordable route for many. (4)
On LinkedIn, former CVS Health and UnitedHealth executive 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 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 plans offer supplemental benefits such as dental, vision, hearing, transportation and meal delivery support.
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New CMS rules aim to tighten oversight and reduce AI-driven denials, 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 typically bundle hospital, medical and drug coverage, plus extras. It limits doctors to a network —and going out-of-network can be costly — but it caps annual out-of-pocket expenses. (7)
Nearly all doctors accept original Medicare. But it:
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covers only 80% of most medical (Part B) costs.
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offers no out-of-pocket maximum.
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often requires older adults to buy 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 do 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 medications are affordable.
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You rarely need expensive care.
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You value 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 national provider flexibility.
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You worry 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’re confused about your options, consult a licensed insurance broker (9), a financial advisor or a counsellor at your state’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) (10).
We rely only on vetted sources and credible 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.
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