Medicare & Insurance

I’m just completing my first year on medicare with a plan G supplement. The numbers seemed reasonable when I signed up last year. Then the plan G monthly premium went form $180.54 this last year to $220.04 this month. That’s just under a 22% increase. I expected a large increase this year, but not such an enormous one!I have liked the benefits such as the health club membership and limited pickle ball my wife and I play, but WOW, I’m rethinking continuing if I’m going to keep seeing these kinds of increases.Nothing has changed for me health-wise. My wife and I are very healthy and don’t even use the healthcare system much.

I moved from Maine to Wisconsin and because my Maine insurance company is not active in Wisconsin I decided to try United as they were said to be active in Wisconsin. What a mistake. It has been three months of starts and stops and still no health supplemental. I was informed a month a go that one of my three applications had been accepted and I only needed to get United a letter of disenrollment from my previous provider in Maine. I did that and did not hear back so assumed all was fine. I got a United RX card and when I called was told the United supplemental healthcare card would be coming soon. Wrong, no card came so I called again and was told that I do not have insurance with them, that the letter of disenrollment was missing something. So I rushed to get an updated letter, but guess what? I am timed out! So I am going to the local agency for helping the elderly, the ADRC and hope they help me get insurance and possibly  some sort of rebuke to United for incompetence, or culling

I know that you make a lot of profits by pushing UHC plans but they outright lied to get me to sign up with them by promising that my premiums would be less expensive in the long run if I paid a little more at the outset. It’s not only gone up much more than my husband’s plan with another company (with very good coverage by the way), but I am now having increased twice a year because my “discount” is being phased out as I get older. My husband is older than I am has been with his plans for eight more years than and his premiums have increased much less than mine have. My premiums are significantly higher than his. Before you lambast me with double talk about how our scenarios might be different, I’ll tell you that we’re from the same state, have the same doctors, and I have done the math with an accountant and my premiums have gone up substantially more than his per year. This is very fortunate because he has had some serious health problems which have been well covered, thank God.Afte

[Friday 11/6/26 11am ET]I have been using Original Medicare & Standalone Part D since turning 65. I am now 68.For next year 2027, I want to SWITCH to a "reputable" Medicare Advantage company plan.Any feedback about the company plan you have? 🤔I just started looking at the Medicare Website this morning. It says there are 39 plans available for me here in Virginia. Great!!!Thanks,Nicole!

Hello, I will be retiring soon and will have medicare coverage, but my wife is only 61. I am trying to find medical coverage for her that we can afford. Very confusing and frustrating to say the least. Looking for advice, suggestions. Anything you can share will be greatly appreciated. We are in Texas ThanksBill

My recent search for Part D for 2027 left me with one option that covered my Advair generic medication for asthma.  All other choices offered (and there were only 6) did not cover it.  I also noted that most do not cover the rescue inhaler either.  I am worried that next year none of these will be covered.  Has anyone else experienced this?Kaen Walden

Can you explain what is happening to Xarelto coverage in 2027 Medicare? It seems that in my zip code =12589, Ulster County, only CVS is providing coverage for 20 mg.

Who can we contact in New York State regarding United Healthcare’s proposed Medicare plan increases for next year. They are bordering on the absurd.   Five years ago, I was paying $39 a month for prescription coverage.  This year they were asking $163.70 a month and next year they want $238.30.  How much profit do these guys want?????

Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026.  Let's talk about it! If you're enrolled in Medicare, now is a good time to review your coverage and make sure it still meets your health care needs and budget for 2027.Even if you're happy with your current plan, it's worth taking another look. Costs, prescription drug coverage, provider networks, and benefits can change from year to year.Making Medicare decisions for ourselves is hard enough, and many of us who are caregiving are also helping loved one make their Medicare decisions (or making them for them if they are unable and we have the appropriate powers of attorney). It’s a lot of pressure! The good news is that AARP has GREAT resources to help you understand your options and make informed decisions. Not sure how to get started - check out these resources:Everything You Need to Know About Medicare Open Enrollment – Understand what you can change, important deadlines and what to consider when comparing plans. AAR

As a long-time member, I am deeply concerned about AARP continuing to lend its trusted name and endorsement to UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Medicare Advantage plans.Over the recent enrollment cycles, many of us have watched these plans become significantly more expensive while simultaneously reducing vital coverages. When a plan carries the AARP logo, members expect a higher standard of advocacy, affordability, and care. Instead, we are facing higher out-of-pocket costs and shrinking provider networks.AARP’s brand should stand for member protection, not corporate licensing profit at the expense of seniors on fixed incomes. I have already contacted customer service directly to register my complaint, but I want to know how many other community members are experiencing these same premium hikes and coverage cuts.It is time for AARP to hold UnitedHealthcare accountable to the seniors who trust this organization.

I have been with you for 25 years  You have always said go with United Healthcare. Now United Healthcare dumps Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle. I am only alive because of Fred Hutch as I have cancer and your healthcare company wont insure me with the facility they have always insured me with. FIRE United Healthcare! Get a company that works with your members or to hell with AARP. You are a bait and switch fraud. Shame on you!!!

I am sure we will get all the same responses as in the past but FYI got our Supplemental Plan G increases for this year in Arizona.  30.08% over last year.  I do not have the plan with the declining discount.  Yes I know I can change and yes I will look.  I am guessing the other are similar now.  So much for affordability.  

AARP  took down my post entitled "AARP, widely trusted by seniors, and United healthcare, widely revised-and unholy alliance?, only one day after I posted it.Which suggest to me that AARP might not want its members to know how United healthcare is treating AARP members. What are they afraid of?So I will repost this, in the hope that someone will see it and look further a field rather than simply assuming that AARP/United healthcare has a senior's best interested heart when choosing a health insurance plan Here is the piece I wrote yesterday:AARP, widely trusted by seniors, and United Healthcare, widely reviled-an unholy alliance? An ordinary person’s disgust at how seniors are misled.  How many seniors assume that seeing the AARP name on an insurance product means they are getting the very best possible product, because AARP is working in seniors’ best interests? How many even bypass looking at other health insurance or supplemental insurance plans, feeling confident that the AARP name

In my county checking the Medicare to find a plan during open enrolment. i see over 70 Medicare advantage plans and many companies have up to 5-6 plans each. You can't really compare and choose, they make everything so complicated. They try to fool people to maximize their profits. If you try to compare the plans is like you compare apples with oranges. You would think that the plans with higher  monthly premiums would offer cheaper drug prices and other co-payments, but their prices are more expensive. Anyone has thoughts about it? Why do we have through this torture every year? 

Just got my 2nd SPAM Medicare email. Lol, thought I had "blocked" them ALL from 2020 when I 1st signed up for Medicare. Here I am 6 years later getting spammed again. Lol, they must have SOLD my info to a NEW GROUP of spammers. Be careful!

Has anyone used this to purchase eligible items on Walmart.com or in store at Walmart, CVS etc? I have $75 to spend on my Ucard which is this years version of 'healthy benefits' which worked great a couple of years ago once they got the wrinkles ironed out.  I go to Walmart.com and choose some refresh eye drops (which are also sold through the UHC catalog at a higher price and Nature's Bounty B vitamins both of which are sold and shipped by Walmart.com Both of these items are eligible items however neither of them triggers the $75 OTC credits either because Walmart doesn't see them as eligible (this is unlikely) or because UHC is not showing them that the card has $75 in OTC credits. My account shows the $75 in OTC credits but under 'details' and OTC it also shows I have zero available OTC credits because I have already spent $75.  This was on the very first day.  I haven't purchased a thing. The only thing I haven't tried and maybe I should

I live in Boise, Idaho, and currently have the “AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC ID-0001 (PPO)” plan from United Healthcare (UHC). I recently received an email from UHC with a link to the Annual Notice of Change 2027 document. As I started looking down and comparing the 2026 and 2027 plans, I noticed under “Fitness program” it shows “Covered” for 2026 and “Not covered” for 2027. Coincidentally, the local YMCA was holding a health fair for seniors this week and United Healthcare had a table there. I asked the woman at the table, who turned out to be the Market Growth Manager for our area, whether it was true that Renew Active would not be offered for my plan in 2027. She confirmed that it was true. She said that Renew Active WOULD be offered under the HMO version of my plan, but WOULD NOT be offered for the PPO version.This makes no sense to me and just seems wrong! I use Renew Active to pay my YMCA membership and it is an important benefit to me. I assume UHC started this program with

AARP, widely trusted by seniors, and United Healthcare, widely reviled-an unholy alliance? An ordinary person’s disgust at how seniors are misled. How many seniors assume that seeing the AARP name on an insurance product means they are getting the very best possible product, because AARP is working in seniors’ best interests? How many even bypass looking at other health insurance or supplemental insurance plans, feeling confident that the AARP name would not lead them astray? Considering how convoluted and confusing the healthcare marketplace has become, it is easy to understand how exhausted and bewildered people are when they start perusing all of the dizzying options on the medicare.gov website. Many people don’t even bother to review their plan each year to see whether there might be a better plan which suits them. So when a name trusted for its senior advocacy is linked to a particular health insurance company, what are AARP‘s responsibilities to their members, and to seniors gene

I recently retired and signed  up for a Medicare Advantage plan in 2026.  I take Xarelto 20 mg and through government negotiated pricing it was affordable.  However, it appears Xarelto has been removed from 2027 Medicare negotiated pricing for 2027.  From what I gathered this was done because Xarelto 2.5 mg went generic and the government negotiated pricing terms/conditions removed drugs from the negotiated pricing if they went generic, regardless of the dosage.  Thus, if on any dosage other than 2.5 mg you will pay substantially more for your Xarelto in 2027. I’ve heard many people get generic Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) from Canada, but it appears US government will be tightening down on this is this making it difficult to do this going forward.Thus, I’m curious what other options might be available to get Xarelto at a reasonable price if on Medicare? Thanks!

What do i do or where do i go. United Health PPO ARP IBM Avantage not accepted as of Jan 1 2027.  No other hospitals for about 25 miles. Am willing to pay  $600 a month for a plan but due to preexisting conditions cannot change.  Guess the preexisting  is not a big enough problem now cannot get any kind of treatment near home.  What a disaster.  Guess just stay home and drop dead if you have a problem!!!

With insurance I would have paid over $500. My daughter had my prescriptions filled for $83. I will be 65 in December so why do I need a prescription insurance if it’s cheaper without?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has enacted a new policy governing international mail shipments, with key requirements scheduled to take effect on October 22, 2026. We have just learned that, under the planned implementation by CBP and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), virtually all prescription-medication parcels will be prohibited from entering the United States beginning on that date.What’s ChangingEntry will be prohibited if the medication being imported is commercially available in the United States — even when it costs significantly more — or if the supplying company specifically markets to Americans.These restrictions will apply to pharmaceutical parcels sent by pharmacies anywhere outside the United States. Taken together, they are expected to effectively close the personal-importation pathway that millions of Americans have relied upon for more than 25 years to obtain safe and affordable medications.

Hello- Having problems getting my Dexcom sensor approved by Medicare.I have issues every time I try to refill the script for my sensor for 2 years. It appears that the pharmacy I had been using no longer accepts the low reimbursement rate from Medicare for Dexcom products, I tried CVS but they prefer Libre so in order to get CVS to supply it, I have to go through a ton of hoops to get the sensor. They want XIFIN to review the script and said it could take up to ten days to complete that process. I have been without the sensor for several days now. Hoping there is no event in the middle of the night because I can’t wake up every few hours to check my sugar. My doctor sent over a new script to Walgreens and still waiting for prior authorization so Medicare can fill it.Good RX says it can fil it for $ 180.00 but I shouldn’t have to since Medicare has been processing the sensor for over 2 years. round and round I go trying to get this refilled each month.  Ugh…. any suggestions on how to s

This insurance is not worth it. My deductible is 6000. Definitely a joke. I have United Healthcare AARP Advantage.

Medicare part D (drugs).While signup for 2027 is underway be aware that the formularies for meds on medicare.gov are out of date for some plans. Medicare.gov is scheduled for its next formulary update on Oct. 26, 2026.You need to go back and check your meds again to make sure yours are included and if you have already chosen a plan it is still the cheapest. You can change your plan multiple times through Dec 7.Also be aware most plans have changed their premiums, not just their formularies, and the Wellcare Value Plan is no longer $0./mo It is now $5.30/mo. Also this means you will need to put in how you will pay for that plan or you may end up with NO medicare D plan. BE WARNED.There have been so many changes this year due to the $16/mo subsidy that was ended a year early by the government that is it worth your while to check your Medicare D plan for next year so you don't have a rude, expensive awakening in January.