As Medicare Advantage (MA) plans near its 25th anniversary — the statute that created the present system allowing private health care providers to offer a one-stop-shop option to original Medicare was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1997 — they have become a vital aspect of the program. Presently, 42 percent of Medicare participants have coverage through an MA plan, and analysts forecast that by 2030, the majority of Medicare participants will have coverage through an MA plan.
