Health

My doctor prescribed a new medication for me and I asked him to send it to Walmart Pharmacy to try it. ExpressScripts STOLE the prescription and tried to charge me $97. Walmart had received the prescription but was trying to contact my doctor because the dosage instructions were incorrect. Meanwhile, ExpressScripts went ahead and filled the prescription with the incorrect instructions and wouldn’t let me cancel the order even before it had shipped.I will never use a mail-order pharmacy again. They do not care about your health and do not check the prescriptions before filling them. Use your local pharmacy!

If you go to a pharmacy and they hand you a prescription then tell you it cost $160, you have the choice of handing it back.  NOT WITH OPTUM RX.  Website said no co-pay.  Prescription recieved then credit card bill arrives with $160 charge.  Called Optum RX.  They will not accept any return nor issue any refund.  Called Regions Bank to dispute charge.  They refused to accept dispute but charge penalties and interest while reviewing my case and reported a late payment to credit bureaus.  The whole experience has been BAD!!!

I just read an article that scared the heck out of me. I have never suffered from hot flashes or other menopausal issues, so I was reluctant to try an estrogen cream that my doctor prescribed when I told him I was starting to get incontinence and had recently had a UTI. Then I saw this article which is too long to post here. Recently, the concerns about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) leading to cancer were disproved. This article stated that estrogen vaginal creams need to be used by menopausal women to prevent UTI’s. If untreated, UTI’s lead to sepsis and even death.The original article was published by USA Today. I saw it on Yahoo. Here’s the link:Exclusive: FDA warnings persisted as UTIs turned deadly in menopauseIt seems the link doesn’t work, so here is the information about the article:Exclusive: FDA warnings persisted as UTIs turned deadly in menopauseLaura Trujillo, USA TODAYUpdated Tue, September 22, 2026 at 2:03 AM MST19 min read

Since the day I learned that my Medigap Plan G premiums were going up 35% in 2027, I’ve been obsessing about Plan G vs. HD-G and running “the numbers” for best case vs. worse cases scenarios. Somethings been nagging me: While I love obsessing about insurance and wouldn’t mind the paperwork associated with the HD-G, my dear wife has absolutely no interest or patience in tracking provider visits, charges, Medicaid allowable charges, deductibles, etc.  Meanwhile I am eligible for a zero-premium large group Medicare Advantage plan from my former employer, the State of North Carolina. And if I added my wife (with a premium of $68) and predeceased her, she could continue at the spousal rate forever - worry free. What a gift that would be. (Ever heard “Don’t let better be the enemy of good?” Reports I’ve gotten from former colleagues suggest that our group plan may be better than individual M.A. plans available to the general public. I would love to hear about your experience.

Theoretically it’s correct about the CBP/FDA semantics not specifically stating that all medications from foreign countries will be banned by the United States Post Office. However, this is likely being orchestrated by big pharma lobbyists and imo they are going to ban all medications from being bought from Canadian and other Countries by Americans. It’s all about big pharma, corrupt politicians, crooked revolving door administration of the FDA and CBP. They will block the sending of all medications and can, will get away with once again screwing the health care needs of the American people. Only a miracle, successful litigation or a last minute lobbying campaign against this upcoming law will stop them. I sadly think big pharma cannot be stopped

I learned today that the US government is prohibiting prescription drugs from Canadian pharmacies from entering the US, effective on October 22. The medication I wanted to fill is not covered by my medicare drug plan and my out of pocket cost is $600/mo in US pharmacies. The same name-brand drug costs $100/mo from Canada. Has anyone else run into this?

Although not an agent I am on some medicare insurance agent forums because the information they post is useful. First of all, the subsidies that the government gave medicare D plans is not going to exist in 2027 (law expired). It is about $16/mo per person. This means that likely premiums will go up or the companies will make other adjustments to their formularies, tiers of drugs, copays, premiums, etc.  to bring in more money to make up for that income cut (and remember inflation affects this too).Information is starting to come out about what is happening with Medicare D (both as a stand alone D and some discussion as part of advantage plans) for 2027. While information can be state specific and sometimes county specific for actual D premiums, etc. the general picture of what is happening next year will likely hold across all D plans.First of all the maximum out of pocket is going up to $2400. The maximum deductible is going up to $700. This doesn’t mean all plans will charge the max

I did a search online and on here and was not able to find my answer.AARP offers a couple of VSP plans for vision insurance. Does anyone know if these plans are accepted by Costco's optical department and can be directly billed to the insurance company?

I am filing a complaint regarding a major discrepancy between the premium quoted by UnitedHealthcare and the premium ultimately approved for my Medigap Plan A policy.I am under age 65 and was losing health insurance because coverage through my working spouse was ending after my spouse was laid off. A UnitedHealthcare agent quoted me 460.38 dollars per month for Medigap Plan A. The agent explained that the normal under 65 rate was 1980.75 dollars per month, but my loss of employer coverage qualified me for the lower rate.Because of the large difference, I asked the agent to verify the quote. The agent checked it twice, using both the current and old systems, and confirmed the 460.38 dollar rate. I was then instructed to complete the application and fax proof of my loss of coverage. I followed those instructions and submitted the required documentation.UnitedHealthcare subsequently approved the policy at 1980.75 dollars per month instead of the verified 460.38 dollar rate.When I contacte

 I recently learned that United Healthcare had the highest rate of denials for claims of the major players in the industry. Do you know this at AARP and if so, why would you endorse them? Price for healthcare should not be the only consideration which I would think you have checked but now I wonder if you check denial rates or other factors involved in purchasing this insurance. My membership is up for renewal and I'm very reluctant to renew considering this? Could you please respond?   Tom Bolonchuk

I switched to Healthspring (Cigna) insurance this year and I’ve had nothing but problems with them. They seem to contract with third-rate clinics such as Archwell, Optima, and Oak Street. I’ve had 5 different PCP’s this year and filed multiple grievances. Their transportation company did a no-show on me and I had to drive myself to the doctor’s office on the other side of town. It was my first time going to that office and of course, I got lost.  I went to the ER at Northwest Hospital twice. They are woefully understaffed and the nurses don’t even answer the call lights. Then Healthspring sent me 20 free meals which were so bad, I wouldn’t even feed them to a dog. I survived on Banquet pot pies instead. I finally found a real doctor through Banner and he sent a new prescription to Walmart’s Pharmacy, but Expresscripts stole it. They want to charge me $96 for it while Walmart only charges $38. The drug hadn’t even shipped yet, but they refused to cancel it. Then they blocked Walmart fro

I am having a colonoscopy this month. My last one was five years ago so I’m not expecting any insurance hassles. I had an upper endoscopy three years ago but I have since developed issues from lung to nasal passages. I’d like to get another endoscopy but I’m wondering if medicare will deny since it has only been three years. Will they even know since I wasn’t in medicare program at the time? Thanks

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

I enjoy doing puzzles to stimulate my mind. I am looking for some ideas for new puzzles I can try as I have gone through plenty during this quarantine. Can someone point me in the right direction or recommend some of their favorites?

End of 2026. Expect premium increases and pharmacy increases. Bye Bye to those $0 premiums. https://www.npr.org/2026/07/29/nx-s1-5912039/the-trump-administrations-move-to-end-subsidies-for-medicare-drug-plans-could-cost-consumers   

I have Medicare A and B plus AARP/ United Healthcare plan G in NJ. Is there an option to get a vision rider or is there a separate plane that is recommended for seniors on Medicare?

Do you keep up with the changes your state makes through legislation to Medigap plans [Medicare Supplemental plans]. These could affect you in certain situations your ability to switch plans or insurers at a specified time during the yearOR perhaps buy a Medigap policy if you are less than 65 years old and on Medicare.OR even if you have ALS or ESRD in some states.  Your State’s legislators should know of these changes as well as your state’s dept of insurance.  Also the SHIP counselors in your state as well as the Medicare plan agents and brokers.         

I enrolled in the AARP UHC Supplemental plan 10/1/2022. I have never been able to access my account on line because the HealthSafe ID registration got corrupted and NO ONE can seem to resolve this! I have no access to my portal and benefits. I have had several tickets opened up with UHC Tech Support with NO resolution to date, 4 months later. How/who can escalate this issue?

MEDICAL LOSS RATIO  (MLR) measures the percentage of health insurance premium dollars an insurer spends on medical claims and quality improvement rather than administrative costs and profits.Each type of insurance has a % legislated by the Feds or the States which is required for the insurance company to spend on patient care and the remainder is then spent on administrative cost, salaries, advertising, overhead  and profit.  The ACA requires health insurance carriers to spend the bulk of the premiums they collect on medical expenses for their insureds. Individual and small-group carriers must spend at least 80% of premiums on medical expenses, and for large-group plans, the requirement is 85%..If they collect too much - the consumer gets a rebate - if they collect too little, premiums rise the next year to make up for the current year and with an added amount to cover the current year.The ACA imposes a medical loss ratio requirement of 85% on Medicare Advantage plans, but rebates are

Why are we always limited to $2,000.00 in the checking and savings accounts according to the Social Security Administration and Medicare? It is very hard for me to pay bills, food, and other items I need for my medical issues without bumping bills. Not only that since I was discharged from the second Health and rehab center on November 12, 2024, I went home that day. I have had to make arrangements for home health care. This is ongoing now. I have finished updating my checkbook from June 2024 to Now. I have also gone through all the most current bills and have organized them so that I can have them listed and review when My funds are in the checking account.  Does AARP know of any Financial advisor or an attorney, who could come and talk to me about what else I can do to pay these bills? I have also been threatened with possible foreclosure by my mortgage company, which caused me to pay a large amount of my social security funds.  I made a large payment to the mortgage c

August is the perfect time to enjoy a bounty of fresh vegetables. Harvested at their peak, these veggies are packed with essential nutrients and vibrant flavors that can elevate any meal. Incorporating seasonal delights, including tomatoes, zucchini and bell peppers, into your diet can boost your health and support local farmers. Enjoy the taste of summer with this heirloom tomato salad recipe from AARP® Staying Sharp®. Find more great recipes at AARP Staying Sharp today.

We are enhancing the AARP Online Community to provide an improved user experience while preserving the connections and conversations you value.    To make that possible, we will be transitioning to a new platform that provides a strong foundation for today's experience and future enhancements.    To learn more about what is coming, visit: https://www.aarp.org/games/community-information/ 

Recently I read article how the people over sixty loosing muscles, - yes if you do not care about you will. My name John 77 years old dietitian with master's degree in diet planning and nutrition assessment from University of Warsaw, Poland. My drama starts when I was around 30 years old, my doctor gives me destructive news, because of congenital heart disease, I have had the most 2-3 years to life, for the next 35 years I been living destructive life, alcohol and stress. Around 20 ago I met my wife, she encourages me to chang my life, being dietitian, I start looking for solutions. few years ago, I achieved success- finding right diet. Now standing at 5'8 tall, weight 162 pounds, I'm full of muscle, incredibly healthy (despite of my heart disease) with perfect joints and brimming vistality and libido. Appearance no older than 60. My active day: 6am - gym heavy lifting 1.5h. 9am to 10 am 4 stets 80 push up= 320. 11am to 4pm walking fast and swimming (5-6days a week). I would like to en

US Senate.gov Finance - Medicare Cost Cap Act Lowering Out-of-Pocket Costs for People with Medicare  These Senators have gotten it written in Bill Format - so it is ready to be introduced. In their own words here (at the link) is what the Medicare Cost Cap Act would do. Per these Senators in the linked article:Background: Currently, Traditional Medicare has no limit on beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket spending, putting them at risk of confronting unlimited health care costs if they face serious illness or hospitalization. Medicare Advantage, employer-sponsored insurance, and insurance bought on the Marketplace all have annual caps on out-of-pocket spending. Americans who choose Traditional Medicare deserve the same protection. According to AARP, “Adding an out-of-pocket spending limit to traditional Medicare, similar to the one that exists for peopleenrolled in MA. This change would not only help protect individuals from the risk of incurring&nb

Before we re-enroll, would like to know AARP's position on the DSA's proposal of Medicare for all?