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Stop the Revolving Door: Why Five-Year Contracts are the Key to Saving Medicare Advantage

  • Jul 12, 2026
  • Meaghan Puglisi
  • 1-min Read

In a MedCity News opinion piece, Joel Theisen, RN, BSN, CEO and Founder of Lifespark, described the revolving door at the center of Medicare Advantage—and why it’s costing seniors more than it’s helping them.

Medicare Advantage has become the dominant way older Americans receive healthcare, but the program still lacks one key ingredient: a long-term commitment.

One in 10 Americans is now on a Medicare Advantage plan. But because open enrollment lets seniors switch every single year, insurers are hesitant to invest in long-term wellness or social determinants of health because they may lose that member to a competitor before they ever see a return on that investment.  

Joel’s pitch is a five-year contract instead of annual, short-term commitments—to truly deliver on the promise of proactive, preventative care for seniors with complex, chronic conditions.

Read Joel’s piece to learn why five-year contracts are the key to saving Medicare Advantage…

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