On the October 15 episode of HBO’s Last Week Tonight, John Oliver brought attention to Medicare Advantage plans, marking the start of Medicare’s open enrollment period. He emphasized the distinction between Medicare and Medicare Advantage, a subject he intended to clarify for viewers including Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, who joined the conversation.
Oliver pointed out that Medicare Advantage plans are fundamentally different because they involve the government paying private insurers, such as UnitedHealth Group and Humana, to manage healthcare benefits for enrolled individuals. Throughout the segment, Oliver stressed how Medicare Advantage might mislead consumers due to its association with Medicare despite being a private insurance product.
The Drawbacks of Medicare Advantage Plans Explained
“Honestly, it probably shouldn’t have the word Medicare anywhere near it, because it’s misleading,”
Oliver remarked, describing the confusion these plans create. He added,
“all the problems of private insurance, but applies to a more vulnerable population,”
underscoring the risks faced by those relying on these plans.
Illustrating his concerns, Oliver shared a typical Medicare Advantage advertisement featuring exaggerated acting and forced dialogue between a fictional couple debating whether to enroll. He mocked its style, saying it included
“Amateur porn-level acting, wild physical gestures, the totally unnecessary undercurrent of a broken marriage and the phrase ‘Right here in our zip code.’”
He also noted the commercial’s disclaimer of “paid actor portrayal” as a humorous but telling acknowledgement of its unnatural delivery, joking,
“It is perfect. I also love the disclaimer saying ‘paid actor portrayal,’ as if we’d be so sucked in by the natural delivery of concussed Rob Reiner and over-caffeinated Amy Sedaris here that we might need to be reminded.”
A More Candid Ad Featuring Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally
After critiquing the flaws in Medicare Advantage advertisements, Oliver enlisted celebrities Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally to film a more honest commercial depicting these plans’ realities. Mullally’s character points out,
“It has all the letters of the word Medicare, but none of the actual Medicare!”
She lists some benefits touted by Medicare Advantage, such as free gym memberships, grocery allowances, and nurses visiting homes. Offerman quickly interjects, “For a threesome?” to which Mullally responds,
“Oh, you’d love that, wouldn’t you Al?”
Then clarifies,
“No, not for a threesome. The nurse would come to our house so that she or he can diagnose us with a bunch of diseases that we don’t have!”
The fictional ad calls out the misleading aspects of Medicare Advantage and adds a dramatic subplot involving Mullally’s character having an affair with a neighbor, highlighting the absurdity of typical advertisements designed to sell these plans.
Why This Exposé Matters for Medicare Advantage Consumers
John Oliver’s segment, supported by the candid portrayal from Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, sheds light on the critical differences and potential pitfalls of Medicare Advantage plans. By exposing misleading advertising tactics and clarifying the nature of these plans, the coverage helps viewers make more informed decisions during the Medicare enrollment period. This awareness is particularly important given that Medicare Advantage applies to a population vulnerable to confusing insurance products administered by private companies under government contracts.
