Medicare & Insurance

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

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?

I'm enrolled in Medicare Easy Pay, so my monthly premium payments are payed by automatic deduction. I still receive, every month, a paper Medicare Premium Bill (CMS-500) which states plainly at the top right corner, "THIS IS NOT A BILL." I thought, okay I'll just go paperless for this billing since I don't need a paper bill which is not a bill, and  can look up the bill on-line if I need to. Besides, receiving this bill every month is problematic on two fronts. It's a security issue, because my medicare ID number, Medicare reminds me needs to be protected to reduce fraud, is printed twice on it and I have to deal with securely destroying it every month. Secondly is an environmental issues because of the waste it unnecessarily generates. I was surprised, when scouring the medicare.gov website, that there was no option for me to go paperless for this bill. I chatted with a chat agent who said, indeed, there is no way to entirely avoid receiving paper bills, but I could opt

One of your legislators introduced this bill in 2025 - but it seems that some seniors are wanting to bring it to life.  Just thought I would let you know about it so you can decide.   It will raise your Medigap rates because of the added risk but how much now and later, I cannot tell you.   Your choices would be to give those under 65 a choice for ALL Medigap plans - currently they only have access to Plan A and Plan D and also give everybody some expanded guaranteed righe like the right for everybody to switch their insurers (believe it is to the same plan) around their birthday for what ever reason - premiums being the leading reason most likely. SUMMARY: Michigan SB0469 - BillTracker  from the link ~ This bill amends Michigan's insurance code to expand protections for individuals seeking Medicare supplement insurance policies (also known as Medigap policies). The bill prohibits insurers from denying, conditioning, or discriminating in pri

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.  

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

 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 -