AARP is partnered with United Health Care for

[Buttoneer]

Medicare Plus plans. I'm concerned that AARP is recommending them.

https://www.aarpmedicaresupplement.com/medicare-information-guide.html

[Freddie]

1. I have this AARP Medicare Supplement

It’s fine (to me at least). The problem is with their Medicare Advantage plans, also sold thru AARP. My daughter, an RN Case Manager, very strongly recommended that we do Traditional Medicine with a supplement.

[Rebl2]

4. My parents

had UHC supplement through AARP—not an advantage plan—and the plan paid practically everything after Medicare paid. I know because I had to take care of their insurance for several years before their deaths. Yes it was a higher premium plan, but they were pleased with it.

[NoRethugFriends]

5. it paid everything because they're required to by law

[MLAA]

11. Dear Husband has the supplement.

One heart bypass resulting in 8 weeks in the hospital, one broken hip, 2 cases of pneumonia requiring hospitalization and it didn’t cost us a single dime. It costs quite a bit a month, but for him it has been so worth it. I did get a bill once for him for $39. I called the specialists office and they had not applied the supplemental insurance. Never once had to call insurance to get approval or fight for anything.

[Freddie]

13. My brother recommended it

He had cancer 5 years ago, had a bone marrow transplant and spent at least a month in the hospital. I think all had to pay for was the TV in the room.

[MLAA]

14. I turn 65 next year. I heard this AARP United Healthcare supplement isn't available any longer but I

haven’t confirmed that but will try to find something as close to it as I can. 🙂.

[Freddie]

15. Maybe not that exact one

My good friend just turned 65 in October and got it. They still offer supplement plans thru AARP.

[MLAA]

17. Thanks! I appreciate the update.

[Bluetus]

2. UHC may be the biggest and the worst, but

let's understand that most of what they are doing is probably "legal" or at least something that will never be prosecuted. And their abuses are inherent in "Advantage" THere is no mystery here. "Advantage" is simply a continuation of the denial-of-coverage business model, just as Obamacare sought to dislodge for the insurance offered to people who were younger than 65.

It is all the same thing. The laws the "Advantage" companies operate under allow non-medical clerks (and now AI) to overturn the best judgment of your doctors. Simple as that. A clerk with no medical training (and now an AI program) has the power to decide you are too expensive to live, and that's that.

Sure, UHC is pushing the boundaries, but the problem is the laws themselves. We are at a turning point. Going forward we must demand that every Dem candidates for the Senate or House must vigorously opposes any system that allows either government bureaucrats or corporate profiteers to override your doctor's best judgment. And this must be true for seniors (Medicare) and everyone else alike.

[Silent Type]

7. Personally, I blame Congress. They've had 60 years to get it right, but have failed.

Clerks have been overturning doctor decisions since inception of original Medicare, either before payment or years later if the doctor is expected of over utilizing services, improper billing, fraud, etc.

MA plans have supersized it on the front end. The Government— meaning CMS — could take action against the worst MA companies if they wanted.

[Bluetus]

20. I'm not talking about fraud

You are completely correct about that. But that is maybe 1% of Medicare, and anybody who cheats the taxpayers like that should get 20 years in prison, IMHO. Instead, it is usually a civil case and a financial penalty, like Rick Scott got. You steal 100 million dollars and get fined 10 million. These crooks will take that deal every day of the week.

I am talking about people with no medical training whatsoever being placed in a position of deciding what treatments or medicines you will be allowed. I had a recent first-hand experience. A family member had 3 hospitalizations within a month -- 3 separate issues, but they could have been related -- that is to say, the vascular problem led to major surgery, followed by exhaustion that required a pacemaker.

In this case, we saw no fewer than 20 doctors, including a 10-day stay in ICU. This patient has real Medicare and Medigap. At least 5 times during this ordeal, different doctors or hospitalists said something to the effect of, "We can proceed immediately. You have good insurance. We don't need any prior authorizations." There is a very good chance that this patient would have been dead without real Medicare.

[Silent Type]

21. First off, reimbursement issues is not much of a defense for malpractice.

If docs thought she should stay according to standards of care, she would not have been discharged without liability risks.

I agree that situation might cause someone to look at it to make sure the facilities and doctors weren’t billing for similar services, duplicates tests, etc.

You have no idea of what may have gone on behind scene like the information original Medicare might have requested from medical records in the hospital to make sure they weren’t billing improperly. Also, in multiple hospital stays like that, they might even look at qualified of care.

Nowadays, lots of doctors don’t like original Medicare either. Be glad you aren’t on Medicaid.

My real point is that some people can’t afford the upfront costs of Original Medicare. I don’t think they should be criticized for doing what’s best for them.

[Bluetus]

26. I am not criticizing people for getting sucked into "Advantage".

"Advantage" is a scam and is it most certainly is not "what's best for them" if they ever have a major medical situation. If they never get sick, then it may be OK, but so would no insurance at all.

[Silent Type]

30. Glad you know what's best for 51% of beneficiaries who choose MA.

[Bluetus]

32. I know how "Advantage" works (or doesn't work)

Unfortunately, that probably puts me into the 5th percentile.

It is not complicated. Instead of covering major medical, "Advantage" instead throws in "shiny objects" such as gym membership, discounted eyeglasses, suntan lotion or a lifetime supply of aspirin. But if you get seriously sick, God help you, because their business model is to NOT cover you.

You seem to think I am an arrogant jerk. I am just trying to explain what that product actually is. I can see it is falling on deaf ears.

[Silent Type]

33. I think you know what's good for you, not the 51% who choose MA.

[Bluetus]

34. Marketing works. Advertising works.

When have you ever heard or seen an ad for real Medicare? When have you received a phone call from an agent offering real Medicare.

Never, that's when.

Billions are spent selling this crap insurance every year to ignorant consumers. And they get away with it because most people don't have major medical expenses every year, and if they do, they are in no position to wrestle with these companies. Most people aren't even aware that an important care option has been denied. The providers will usually simply not mention it if they can't get paid for the treatment.

Please take a little time to understand how this fraud works. Here is an excellent article from one of the most respected sources in the industry, the Kaiser Family Foundation:
https://www.kff.org/medicare/press-release/kff-research-shows-that-medicare-open-enrollment-tv-ads-are-dominated-by-medicare-advantage-plans-featuring-celebrities-active-and-fit-seniors-and-promises-of-savings-and-extra-benefits-without-fund/

[Silent Type]

41. I read KFF's daily posts. They are great. They also operate Medicare Advantage Plans. If they were in my area,

I'd sign up tomorrow.

[av8rdave]

37. Advantage is definitely a scam, but...

After all, pretty much anything associated with W is a scam.

Unfortunately, the premiums for traditional Medicare plus a supplement are pretty onerous for people of limited means. IMO this is by design, de facto forcing people into the Advantage plans. If keeping the lights on and food on the table is a struggle, a low/zero premium Advantage plan might be the only option.

My wife and I pay more than we’d like for Medicare + supplement, but I consider it insurance to protect us from companies like UHC.

[Bluetus]

38. Of course it is by design.

Most "advantage" plans cost less than real Medicare plus Medigap, but cost more than basic Medicare. But that is like saying a car costs more than a picture of a car. "Advantage" absolutely does not provide the coverage that real Medicare provides.

"Advantage" trumpets the everyday stuff that is relatively cheap ($200 vouchers for glasses, gym memberships for free, no co-pays for routing doctor visits. etc.) But that isn't what bankrupts people. What bankrupts people are major medical events like heart attacks, cancer treatments, accidents. "Advantage" MAY cover those things or may not. They will cover something, but not necessarily the full range of care that is available to people with real insurance. Beyond that, the denial decisions are not made by any medical professionals. They have been made by clerks trained to hit the "DENIED" button, and they are now being replaced by AI systems that are even better at hitting the "DENIED" button.

The things that are denied may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. And that's how the "advantage" companies can pay almost $1000 to agents for each policy they sell, and spend billions of dollars on advertising, pay executives tens of millions of dollars a year, yet still be uber-profitable.

Of course, it is by design. The design was to privatize and profitize, not to provide health care.

America is finally having this discussion out in the open after 20+ years of racketeering. And it is only happening because a CEO was murdered. In my book, the people responsible for that murder are the ones who have enabled this "advantage" racket to grow and thrive.

[av8rdave]

39. What's especially egregious...

Is that we (the taxpayers) pay for those freebies the Advantage plans advertise (and traditional Medicare is barred from providing).

The last figure I saw was $64B that gets doled out to the Advantage insurers annually to ostensibly pay for those things. Worse, those insurers have no obligation to report how those monies are spent. It’s a subsidy without any accountability. Those dollars should be going to Medicare.

Like anything else associated with W, it reeks of fraud and deceit.

Republicans and the health “care” insurers hate Medicare, because it’s potential profit unrealized and the ability to restrict or deny care is limited.

[Ms. Toad]

3. Not sure what you mean by "plus"

Not a thing, as far as I know. There are Medicare advantage plans and Medicare supplement (Medigap) plans. AARP partners with UHC for both.

Their supplement plans were, by far, the cheapest (And. Since supplement plans are the same, no matter who you buy them from, cheapest is best.) The link you provided is to supplement plans.

[Abnredleg]

31. The UHC AARP Medigap "Plus" Plan offers extra benefits

Such as dental, vision, and gym membership in addition to the regular insurance. In other words, it is a supplement that offers some of the desirable extra benefits that Advantage plans offer. It adds $10/month to the premium but the savings in gym membership alone pays for the extra premiums. I got a Plan F Plus Benefits plan from them but haven’t used it yet.

https://www.aarpmedicareplans.com/health-plans/medsupp-plan-compare/27455/2024?WT.mc_id=VS2#G02,G01,F02,F01,N02,N01,K01,L01,GS1,NS1,A02,A01,B01,C02,C01,D02,D01

[Ms. Toad]

40. I forgot they recently separated the added benefits.

The earlier version (pre-2022-ish) didn't allow for you to just get the Medigap policy - they just rolled everything together (still for a cheaper price then their competitors). The year I joined was the first (I believe) that you actually had a choice to get just the supplement without the benefits. At that time, they didn't call it "Plus." The savings pay for the increased premiums only if you actually use them - every year over the rest of your lifetime (since in most states the choice of plan is forever). At least the first year, the age structure at which premiums increased (and stopped increasing) was different from the strict supplement plan.

I don't have an issue with an add-on for a Medigap policy (or even with AARP for "pushing" it) - especially if that difference allows it to compete better with the Medicare Advantage plans. Since they are the only one in our area that offers an add-on to a Medigap plan, they would need advertising to make it known that if gym membership is a deal-breaker for you, you don't have to accept a sub-par plan to get gym membership.

[onecaliberal]

6. They are.

[dalton99a]

8. Stay away from any Medicare Advantage plan

especially if you have a medical condition

Humana and UHC are among the worst in terms of treatment denials and refusals to pay

[La Coliniere]

9. My wife and I have traditional Medicare and a United Health Supplemental Plan.

So far they’ve paid all of the 20% of the medical bills that Medicare doesn’t pay. Here in New York, the United Health Care Medicare Supplemental Plan was less expensive than all the others offered that had the same coverage. It’s the Advantage Plans that stink.

[Bluetus]

27. That's because the supplemental company cannot deny treatment.

The Medigap has no role in approving care. It is simply a way of paying the 20% that real Medicare does not cover. The deal for Medigap providers is they have to cover the 20%, take it or leave it. If they don't want any of that action, they don't have to offer Medigap. But they have no option to deny their share of the payment -- YET. Give Elon Musk a little time to fix that.

[La Coliniere]

36. Thank you for clarifying that.

[Meowmee]

10. In addition uhc seems to have a monopoly

Hold vs the other insurers.

[mn9driver]

12. I also have the AARP UHC Medicare supplement plan

Because it’s a supplement, it has to honor everything that is authorized by Medicare. I’ve never had a denial. I do have a foreign country coverage clause that I’ve never had to use, but if I were to ever have a problem with the policy, that would probably be where it would be.

I would never get a UHC Medicare Advantage policy. That framework leaves everything up to UHC to decide. Not happening.

[Meowmee]

18. Some countries will treat you for free even for an expensive emergency

But it’s good to have out of country insurance anyway.
For instance, someone who was type one who was going into a DKA got treated in Switzerland in the hospital for free, they asked to pay but the hospital wouldn’t let them.

My father received care in Israel for free when he had to get his pacemaker stitches removed and some other care. A friend got free treatment in Russia of all places which he said was good. I think it was for something to do with his teeth.

I was one treated in Scotland when my eye swelled up tremendously from an allergic reaction on a tour. They took me to a doctor who injected my eyeball, ouch. I think I did pay a very small amount of money. I can’t remember now. They would not put me on steroid drops because they said I had to be followed and I was leaving that area soon.

[mcar]

16. This is my Medicare supplemental

I am happy with it.

[tritsofme]

19. All Medicare supplements are sold by private health insurance companies.

These policies pay some portion of the 20% coinsurance from traditional Medicare. They pay whenever Medicare pays a claim, no tricks.

[maveric]

22. I'm glad I have Kaiser.

Non- profit. I have no premiums, most of my prescriptions are free. Only my pain meds are $5.00. No charge for office visits, labs are $5.00. I’ve been with them for over 40 years. Two of my kids were born there. No charge. And this on their Medicare program.
I’m in CA. I don’t know if this applies to those out of CA.

[Silent Type]

23. I'd sign up with Kaiser tomorrow if it were in my area. Had it when I worked full-time.

I’m not much for doctor shopping, etc. And I really liked the docs. They were usually young or someone older who got fed up with private practice.

Kaiser was really into preventive care, forcing you to get vaccines, colonoscopies, tests, etc. A few times there were issues with meds, but they explained why and I found the meds worked just as well, if not better, than what I thought I needed.

[maveric]

24. I have no complaints.

Had three surgeries,that cost me $10.00. My wives had good surgeries there. My late wife’s Hospice was completely covered.
I’m surprised it’s not available nationwide.

[Silent Type]

25. Think their problem is the cost of having facilities nationwide. Don't think as a non-profit they sell stock.

Miss it.

[airplaneman]

42. Hospice is available nationwide

Hospice is only covered by Medicare. If your on Advantage they move you to traditional Medicare for free coverage on part A. Advantage does not cover hospice.
-Airplane

[skylucy]

29. They are definitely into prevention. They kept contacting me by phone, email and texts last year to get me to

come in for a routine mammogram. When I met with the mammogram technician, she asked me if a had any issues. I told her no, I just had to come in so Kaiser would stop stalking me!

[skylucy]

28. Yes! I have Kaiser Senior Advantage in California too. I have been very happy with it.

Never have been denied coverage or had any problems with it. My husband and both my elderly parents also had Kaiser Senior Advantage and had no problems with it either.

[Buttoneer]

43. We had Kaiser when we lived in Portland, OR. Maybe we should move back..

[Passages]

35. The public knows who the culprits are despite the fact they are deceived by omission

almost at every turn. M$M talking heads are surprised by the public's reactions to Thompson, but the public is not shocked at all.

AARP should not be in the business of advantage plans. Are they going to ignore Senator Blumethals' latest report too?

Do they list it on their website?

On October 17, 2024, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chair of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, released a 54-page report regarding its ongoing investigation of Medicare Advantage plans’ Prior Authorization and on-going denials. The report highlights how three major insurers: UnitedHealthcare, Humana, and CVS “intentionally use prior authorization to boost profits by denying post-acute care.”
https://medicareadvocacy.org/medicare-advantage-coverage-denials/#:~:text=The%20report%20highlights%20how%20three,to%20prevent%20unnecessary%20medical%20services.