Most Seniors Rush to Pick Medicare Plans, Skip Research
New poll reveals seniors spend little time researching Medicare options before enrolling, raising concerns about informed decision-making.
2 min read
A new poll highlights that the majority of U.S. seniors spend minimal time researching Medicare policies before selecting their annual health coverage. According to a National Poll on Healthy Aging conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (IHPI), three out of five senior citizens spend less than an hour reviewing their Medicare options during Open Enrollment.
Low Engagement in Medicare Research
The poll, released Thursday, found that 60 percent of older adults—comprising 33 percent who spent less than an hour and 27 percent who did not review their options at all—prioritize convenience over thorough research. Geoffrey Hoffman, an associate professor at the University of Michigan and IHPI member, emphasized the need for seniors to carefully evaluate their Medicare options, especially those dissatisfied with their current coverage.
“It’s easy to ‘set it and forget it’ with Medicare, especially if you have coverage that you like and assume is the best that’s out there,” Hoffman said. “The number of choices, and the tools for navigating them, can also be confusing, but there may be coverage that better suits your needs and wallet.”
Most Stick With Previous Plans
Four out of five polled seniors reported sticking with their Medicare coverage from the previous year. Only a quarter of those who reviewed their options before selecting a plan consulted the Medicare website’s plan-finding tool or the Medicare hotline during Open Enrollment. This year’s Open Enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7.
The poll’s data was collected by NORC at the University of Chicago, who conducted the survey from December 30, 2025, to January 12, 2026, through online and phone interviews with 3,194 adults aged 50 to 98. The survey had a 73 percent completion rate and a margin of error of 1 to 2 percentage points. A subsample of 1,796 adults was used for specific findings, weighted to reflect the 65-and-over population.
The findings underscore the importance of informed decision-making in Medicare enrollment, as seniors navigate an increasingly complex healthcare landscape. With limited time and resources, many rely on familiar options, potentially missing out on better-suited plans that could save money or improve their health outcomes.
Source: Daily Caller
