Medicare & Insurance

I found this to be very interesting.  Yes, all eyes have been on Washington State as their WashingtonCares plan starts to do some paying out - Washington Cares is the 1st state initiative for Long Term Care Insurance. It also sounds like some in the Senate may also be working on some type of LTC plan. KFF Health News - The New Old Age Article - 07/10/2026 - A New Option for Long-Term Care Costs  What do you think of these new ideas in Long Term Care payments for those outside of the Medicaid area.  

Just curious when you guys are going to address and speak to this issue. My guess is many of your members are negatively affected by Advantage plans and more specifically the ones AARP endorses - United healthcare. I am currently living the nightmare of dealing with UHC. Their denial, delay and defend strategies have all been applied to my care which has had a significant negative impact to my care and recovery.  I joined AARP because of your advocacies for seniors. What is currently in the news about the horrors of our healthcare system that are affecting seniors most needs to be talked about.The fact that AARP has been mostly silent on these matters AND endorses the worst offender is a disservice to your members. You lend your respected name, which I know your are paid handsomely for,  at the peril of your members.The exposure and pressure to reform their cruel practices needs more coverage, not just a silent endorsement.Please step up and help us on this issue. R

I would like to know if many of you would give me the approximate age of your PRIMARY CARE Medicare provider - your best guess or you could just say something like   Young (new to primary care) ormiddle age orolder orclose to retirement age.AND Are they a medical doc ? Need as many as possible to respond - to get an idea of what you are seeing in your area as far as on going availability Thank You 

We have discussed this  before here on this board - it is back in the limelight today KFF Health News 06/25/2026 - Legislators To Propose Bill Capping Out-of-Pocket Medicare Costs for Enrollees  Comments or Discussion ?    

 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.  

 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

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

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

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

 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

Here are as much details as I have on it at the present.  I am sure that more will be forthcoming in the next couple of months. CMS.gov - BALANCE (Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth) Model  CMS.gov - GLP-1 BRIDGE Program FAQ  Edited to add a bit more news - KFF.org 04/23/2026 - CMS Extends Medicare’s Short-Term Bridge Program for GLP-1 Obesity Drug Coverage      

 I literally started my AARP Extended Basic Medicare Supplemental Plan RW on 1 APR 2026.  On Apr 19th I got a letter notifying me of a 20% cost increase beginning  APR 2027.  Seems like a real bait and switch program.  It is like, put a lower rate and get you to sign up for their supplemental and then UHC tacks on 20% the first year.  

AARP has had an affiliation with UHC for as long as I can remember. I have a plan with them and went to my dentist on Monday, paid what the gal at the desk said I would owe for a filling, $75. A day later I get a letter saying UHC was not keeping my Dentist in network going back two weeks. The letter was generated a week after that date, and I didn't get it for another week. The person I talked to in some call center, probably southeast asia, said she could provide me a list of covered dentists, I said start a formal complaint. If AARP wants the kickback from UHC they better start to demand better business practices from them, postdating termination of coverage is crap.

The UHC phone app has an option to verify that an item qualifies by scanning the barcode.Unfortunately, Walmart store systems are not synced with this, and so when I shop at my local Walmart to spend my quarterly Over The Counter money using my UCard, the Walmart checkout says most items do NOT qualify. I have contacted UHC and Walmart, and they both blame each other. AARP should hold these corporations responsible for getting in sync, since their name is on the title of the plan.

I'm a Medicare/medicaid person since 2022 after spinal surgery. I start a new job paying $80,000 a year and I'm 66 years old. Do I just call about my new health insurance plan at work?