With Medicare enrollment starting Wednesday, Nebraska hospital officials have again encouraged seniors to review their options carefully and make sure they know what they’re signing up for when they select a plan.

During open enrollment, seniors can choose between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which are administered by private health insurers.

A shift has been underway in recent years, with about 54% of the eligible Medicare population nationwide now enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, although only 29% of eligible Nebraska seniors were enrolled in the plans in 2024. Nationally, the number is up from about a third less than a decade ago. Open enrollment begins Wednesday and continues through Dec. 7.

Jeremy Nordquist, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association,

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