Health

 My wife and I switched to UHC this year on a recommendation from a broker who was "helping" us.Over the last few years my coverage with Florida Blue was in jeopardy due to mid-year contracts with our providers and hospital group in our county. My wife had Aetna for several years with no difficulties but was told her existing policy was no longer available in Florida(?).Shortly after agreeing to policies with UHC starting in January this year, we receive letters from our PCP, the hospital group and UHC stating they also are in mid-year contract negotiations and may drop coverage June 1 if not resolved.My first question is "why these companies can negotiate and drop services mid-year while we are locked in Jan through Dec?" I have sent letters to a local congressman on Medical and Health committees requesting a correction to this practice but no replies. Of course, during this period of uncertainty, all reimbursements and customer service were completely stopped and absolutely

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.  

Hello: I have not yet started Social Security but am on Medicare (Basic and Part B).  I am new to Medicare by a few months.  I pay my Part B premium on-line (not autopay) via credit card not via Social Security. I believe I have paid my Part B Premium multiple months in advance since I mistakenly didn't wait for bill.  Is there a way to see when my next Part B premium is due (how far in advance I have paid)?  Will paying my Part B Premium in advance by a few months cause any issues or will medicare just apply the premium? Thanks in advance for assistance

 Definitely NOT just AARP/UHC Supplemental plans that are seeing these premium  increases.  KFF Health News - 04/23/2026 - Medigap Premiums Leap, and Consumers Have Few Alternatives  from the link [copy/paste - portions of the article - most of it actually]From an Illinois based broker:  More than 80 of his customers who were enrolled in the same Medicare supplemental plan from the insurer Chubb got hit last August with a 45% increase.  . . . . . In my 49 years of doing biz as a broker, I’ve never seen a premium increase be effective immediately on everyone, instead of on their policy anniversary . . . .  While 45% was an unusually big jump, Jaggi and other brokers say double-digit premium increases for Medicare supplemental, or Medigap, policies are becoming the norm. In the supplemental market, following big increases last year, rates appear to be rising again.  In early 2026 filings with state insurance commissioners f

I have been under the impression that a person insured by a HD-G plan is only liable for the monthly premiums on the HD-G as well as the HD-G annual deductible ($2,950 in 2026), no matter what - even if you get socked with a million-dollar hospital bill in one year. Am I correct? The reason I am asking is a statement I read online, and forgive me for this "copy and paste:" Massive Out-of-Pocket Risk:  If you were to develop a severe, chronic, or critical illness (such as cancer requiring expensive treatments or infusions), you will blow through the High-Deductible G (HD-G) deductible very early in the year. Once you meet it, you then pay 20% coinsurance on all subsequent Medicare-approved services, which can equal thousands of dollars. In other words, isn't the statement about "Massive out-of-pocket risk" above incorrect? Edit to illustrate the rational decision on which to buy (G vs. HD-G): And if your maximum annual outlay ("MOOP") for an HD-G plan is&nb

Without going into a ton of details, here is a quick outline of the problem I'm having with UHC. I have a Dual Complete plan with UHC, and when I first joined UHC in mid-2025, I was able to use my UHC Card to purchase healthy foods.  My wife is currently being treated for stage three breast cancer, and the ability to buy healthy food was a great blessing to us.   However, UHC took this option away from me on January 1st of 2026, and when I called to ask them about it, they told me that I would have to have a form known as the SSBCI Verification Form signed by a doctor, and then they would return healthy food assistance to me.   Last Friday I took the SSBCI Verification Form to a doctor's appointment with me, but when I showed it to the medical assistant, she acted like I showed her a poisonous snake, and she was very adamant that no one at their facility would be willing to sign my form me for me.  I explained to the medical assistant that I

Until just today I have not really felt so bad about aging as I do now. I am 64 and just went to a seminar this morning on senior linkage line information sources. I have also been going to various medicare seminars to start learning about my upcoming options. Usually, in my life I have enjoyed problem solving and learning information was a way to feel empowered. But lately, I have felt terribly overwhelmed by problems to be solved and all this aging information seems to me a bit overwhelming as I navigate to try to figure out how I can care for myself as I grow older. I have no kids to help me out with this. As I was driving somewhere today, I suddenly just started crying, tears coming down my cheeks. I am starting to very, very overwhelmed with so many aspects of aging and all the upcoming changes. I think another thing that spilled over is the ongoing severe stress on retirement investment accounts due to the decreases the past year and now this horrible banking crises starting. I f

One thing that currently fills me with gratitude is the number of PBS channels my T.V. antenna picks up...far far more than I ever got with cable T.V. alone.  Anyway, two of the channels I get have been running a bunch of Lucy Worsley and reruns of the Ben Franklin biographical series from a few years ago. After watching Lucy's account of the brutal injustice done upon one Agnes Sampson, some of the things Mr. Franklin said have taken on a deeper meaning: To be proud of virtue, is to poison yourself with the Antidote. (As Silence Dogood commenting on parents sending their children to Harvard) I reflected in my Mind on the extream Folly of those Parents, who, blind to their Childrens Dulness, and insensible of the Solidity of their Skulls, because they think their Purses can afford it, will needs send them to the Temple of Learning, where, for want of a suitable Genius, they learn little more than how to carry themselves handsomely, and enter a Room genteely, (which

Seniors.Welcome to your "Golden Years", where your aging benefits cost you gold prices. Increased 2026 Medicare rates, 30% increases in AARP / UHC Supplemental plans, $5500.00+ hearing aids, $8000+ a month Assisted Living rates. It is becoming obvious, the goal of our broken Medical system is to spend down the hard earned assets of the most vulnerable. AARP, if your mission of representing the elderly is one of sincerity, you might want to align your intentions with those providers who can deliver cost effective results. The rate of these price increases is unsustainable and will ultimately result in the demise of the provider base.

DID YOU KNOW that the At-Home Recovery benefit is still active for anyone holding a Plan G (or PLAN D - not Part D ) purchased before June 1, 2010. It pays up to $1,600/year for short-term help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and personal care while you're receiving Medicare-covered skilled home health services. Problem is, you might have difficulty finding people that know about it still and thus they kind of think you are crazy - but it is still there.  So IF you have a Plan G Medigap Purchased BEFORE June 1, 2010 then it is within you plan.  Keep up with those policies you never know when you might need to reference it.    

My husband and I have had the AARP Medicare Supplement Plan G plan for LESS than 2 years. He is 18 months in; I'm at 16 months. In that time, we've seen 2 rate increases and the $2.00 incentive to be billed and pay together has disappeared. What's with the money grab by UHC (and AARP)? My premium has gone from $106.64 to 131.69 with an interim hike and his has gone from $122.88 to $159.80 with another increase scheduled for Jan 2026.  The literature we read when we subscribed to this AARP plan was that our rates would not increase, yet here we are. A bait and switch? A lie in the advertising? Which is it? And why separate the bill so we lose that $2 incentive? Really?  You need to take back that $2? I would love a cogent explanation from both AARP and United Healthcare.  Last time i inquired they simply told me that the rate went up because the rate increased. (Kid you not!)  I really would love to know why the rates increase and what we should e

Very interesting - KFF Health News 05/22/2026 - The New Old Age - 3 Medical Routines That Older People May Not Need  l. Colonoscopy after the age of 76Never had a colonoscopy; colon cancer is not a hereditary trait in my family - in fact, no cancer at all - every 5-years I did do a non-invasive stool-based colorectal cancer screening test - always negative but if it ever came back positive, I would repeat and then if positive again I might have gotten a colonoscopy.  TOO old now to even consider it.  Of course if you have a hereditary history or meet some of the other specifics of being a high risk - definitely get one on the preventive schedule but if nothing shows up by age 76, you be the judge of getting more preventive colonoscopies.   2.Removal of Actinic Keratoses.I do have some of my actinic keratoses removed - the ones that might get irritate by clothing or if one appears on my face (vanity) but other than that - they just stay.

The NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) does a report on Medigap plans, I believe yearly - this is the last one Issued that I found  - 2024, issued in 2025.NAIC - NAIC NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS 2024 Medicare Supplement Loss Ratios  For Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans, a higher Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) means a larger percentage of your premium dollars is going directly toward paying medical claims rather than into the insurer's administrative costs or profits This came from page 5 - a TEN Year Summary Comparison of all plans - 85% is what is legislated for ACA plans to pay out in coverage or they have to send a premium refund.  Of course, there is no such rule for Medigap plans and since this private gap (financial protection) insurance then they have tried to keep the MLR close to 75% or lower to maximize their profits (after their administrative cost has been covered)  But now they are paying out more and

Just for weight loss with no other diagnosed problem like diabetes / C-V disease or sleep apnea?   And should we subsidize the use of such for weight loss to hopefully bring about a healthier America? By subsidize - I mean by Medicare and your premiums.  

A recent announcement from AARP and UnitedHealthcare (UHC) revealed that Medigap Plan G premiums will see a significant increase of 13% starting in July 2024, followed by another 5% hike in January 2025. For many policyholders, this raises critical questions: Why is this happening? What justifies such a substantial increase in such a short period of time? And, perhaps most importantly, is AARP doing enough to protect its members from these types of financial shocks?Let’s break down the factors behind these steep premium increases and explore why this is occurring now. Additionally, we’ll consider whether AARP and UHC are working effectively to contain costs and how this affects the broader Medigap landscape.What’s Causing the Increase in Medigap Plan G Premiums?Rising Healthcare CostsOne of the most significant drivers of premium increases across the board for Medigap plans is the rising cost of healthcare services. As hospitals, doctors, and other medical providers raise their prices

From the mouth of those that have them - different plans / different states -Read the link and the posters that are chiming in on this subject. Reddit - Medicare - Plan G Price Increase as of July 1 - What Other Beneficiaries Are Saying  Heck, paying less than $ 300 a month sounds like a real deal from what others are saying. There are usually options -depends on your state and your investigation skills or perhaps help that you find or experts that you connect with for help - you can always check with your Dept of Aging, SHIP in your state  (State Health Insurance Program Assistance), or even an independent Medicare Medigap agent or broker to find out any options you might have.   NO, this is not a movement to get people on a MAPD plan - but it is a very good persuasion for considering taking on more of the risk in Original Medicare with your Supplemental plan. MAPD everywhere will never be an option for the program of Medicare - mainly because t

Hello to anyone who may read this,  My brief story and question at end:  I am only 51 years old, I have a condition that is limiting me to work as a vascular sonographer in a hospital that I have been working for almost 30 years. I am becoming disabled through repetitive motion and currently I am in continual pain to neck, shoulders and all joints in the upper body since JAN 2022. I have two small children, wife and a home, so I am blessed. Unfortunately I am becoming more limited daily and with working as a vascular sonographer, I am worsening my condition without a doubt because it is a measured effect. While I was also diagnosed with cervical disc herniation JAN 2022, no providers are willing to indicate that the disc is the cause, for which it might not be, but none the less, I am not doing well physically and now it is progressing mentally since. I have seen (2) orthopedic surgeons, (2) pain management physicians (no drugs ever!), PCP, Physiatrists and have com

Once a senior sees that the total annual cost of Plan HD-G premiums  (around $495) plus the annual deductible (this year $2950) in my case exceeds the annual cost of Plan G's premiums (my actual announced $3270) plus the $283 annual Part B deductible and sees that in either the best case or worst case scenario, the HD-G plan would save the senior money, the only reason I can imagine for not choosing the HD-G plan is the seniior's lack of wealth or cash flow to support the irregular cash flows (but lower expense) of the HD-G plan.Some have said that they fear being on HD-G in a future that they ima gine will bring higher medical expenses. That is simply illogical because the HD-G pays the same as G once the annual deductible is met. (And the deductibles actually paid are already included in the worst (or best) case scenarios described above.Some have mentioned perceived fear of not meeting medical underwriting to get back to either G or N. To that I ask, "Why you ever want to retur

Do they have an online messaging system that gives patients rapid access to test results?  Can appointments be made online?  (I dislike having phone conversations.) Do their PCPs like to pass the buck to specialists?  Do they offer covid and other shots at their facility or pass the buck to CVS and Walgreens?  Do they prescribe opioids or pass the buck to pain clinics?

 Should your Dr. or Specialist prescribe Dex-Com system of constant-read glucometer, be aware that I experienced four malfunctioning arm sensors within a six-moth period, and when I wrote to complain, they simply put me on "ignore". So I would advise asking for an alternative to that product which apparently will not warranty their off-shore manufactured instruments.

The current April/May 2026 cover photo of Eva Longoria is so airbrushed that it might as well have been taken 25 years ago. Is this supposed to be encouraging to the rest of us "normal" people leading "normal" lives. Come on. Are celebrities so afraid to show their faces? It's actually disgusting and I'm sick of it. It just adds to ageism and sexism is not in the least encouraging. Why did I put this under brain health? Because it drives me nuts. That's why.

 KFF.org-04/08/2026 - Medicare Advantage Insurers Will See Higher Payments as CMS Backs Off a Key Payment Update  It is still gonna get done - albeit a bit slower.  We do not need any more of them baling out because many beneficiaries with this MAPD coverage is all that they can afford -   

Can someone please explain the difference?  Two different Medigap plans show in the Medicare Plan Finder, and this appears to be 2 different companies with different "standard" rates.  I heard that "of America" was some sort of a new variation with lower rates.  Nothing shows on the websites.  Search the two different names and the same uhc,com website comes up.  How can there be two different standard rates?  As a SHIP counselor, I'm trying to explain to folks I talk with.

I I just received a notice that my AARP Medicare Supplemental Plan G with United Health Care in Kentucky is increasing by nearly 19% in October! What is AARP doing to help control the increasing costs of this supplemental plan G? An increase of 19% seems excessive to me. 

 Definitely worth the read if only to add to your knowledge of Medigap plans.AARP/UHC Medigap plans or Medicare Supplemental plans are not the only ones going higher with their premiums.   KFF Health News 04/23/2026 - Medigap Premiums Leap, and Consumers Have Few Alternatives  from the link:In the supplemental market, following big increases last year, rates appear to be rising again. In early 2026 filings with state insurance commissioners from Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, Mutual of Omaha, and UnitedHealthcare, rate increases for Plan G policies — the most commonly purchased supplement type — ranged from just over 12% to more than 26% in the first quarter, according to Nebraska-based consulting firm Telos Actuarial. . . . . . Agents and policy experts blame a range of factors for rising premiums: an increase in the use of medical services by beneficiaries; the aging of the population; increases in labor and medical costs; rules