If you have Plan D with UHC, did you have mid-year premium increases like my UHC Plan G?

@Ghaeilge1975 

Medicare PART D is your Prescription Drug Coverage - you buy a PART D plan of your choice that meets your medication needs.  There is no one PLAN D.

Medicare PLAN G is your Medigap plan or supplemental coverage for Medicare PART A or PART B.

The two are very different.

Part D plans rarely, if ever, have premium price increases during the year because they are set by a bid-based rate by the government offices of  CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services).  Very similar to how they set Medicare Part B premiums for each year - based on utilization of Part B.  Having a PART D plan is mandated by Medicare.  

Medicare Supplemental policies or Medigap isn’t health insurance - it is supplemental coverage and acts as gap coverage - it is mostly for financial protection of the beneficiary who has chosen Traditional Medicare as to how they receive their benefits. A Medigap plan pays ONLY for some or all of your out of pocket cost for Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B (depending on the Medigap plan one picks)  - It does NOT have anything to do with Medicare Part D - the prescription drug plan.  It is a personal choice as to whether a beneficiary decides on a Medigap plan; coverage is NOT mandated as a part of Medicare. 

Premiums for a Medigap plan are set by the insurance company that sponsors the specific plan the beneficiary has chosen.  Premiums usually rise once a year but can go up several times a year if necessary.  Some reasons premiums may rise are:

• an increase in premiums as a result of a declining premium discount which came initially with the plan - very common with AARP/UHC Supplemental Plans
• a change in the basis of the rating method used by the insurer to set premiums - community rated / attained age rated / issue age rated
• an increase in medical inflation and higher use
• more benefit coverage that is legislated by the government

You can change your Medicare Part D plan (prescription drug coverage) several times during the year if applicable to these enrollment period rules.

Medicare.gov - Fact Sheet - Understanding Medicare Advantage & Medicare Drug Plan Enrollment Periods 

The Annual Open Enrollment Period for Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans is coming up soon - October 15 - December 7 for coverage to begin on Janualry 01, 2025.  If you need to switch sooner under the Special Enrollment Period rules, the new plan would be effective the following month after you sign up and pay your 1st premium.

You can find the Part D plans that are available to you on the Medicare.gov website by putting in all your meds and checking the various plans that come up based on your location, preferences and needs.  OR you can discuss your situation with you state SHIP counselor - State Health Insurance Assistance Program.  OR you can see or talk to a Medicare Insurance Broker or Agent - some are independent and write for many different companies and some, like UHC, are captive agents that only write for one specific insurer.  There is no charge for the later to the beneficiary.

Underwriting is ONLY applicable to Medigap plans (Supplemental coverage) like your Plan G -  Federal law says that a Medigap plan only has to approve you without any health condition considerations during your initial enrollment period.  After that period, an insurer for a Medigap plan can scrutinize your health to determine your premium, or even not cover a specific condition for a period of time OR even refuse coverage to you.  The process they use to do this scrutinizing is called underwriting.  Now your state law may also have a bearing here past your initial enrollment period - some states give specific other times and conditions when a beneficiary can switch Medigap plans.  Your state (usually Dept of Ins.) can give you any details on this - they usually have some details on Medigap laws in the state if you want to check this out with your state.

If you have Medicare coverage based on Social Security Disability, then when you turn 65 years old, you get an additional initial enrollment period or do-over in picking a Medigap plan.

You really do need to read “Medicare and You” - OR at least see a SHIP Counselor OR see/talk to a Medicare Insurance Broker or Agent.  

There is no charge to you to see or talk to a SHIP counselor or Medicare Insurance Broker or Agent - they can give you some options and then you still have to do the picking based on your needs and/or pocketbook.  Without all your specific info on your meds and your medical needs and pocketbook, nobody can really evaluate what might be the best of all the options for you because there may also be some other specifics that could make a difference to you too,

Good Luck