Medicare & Insurance

Medigap Insurance coverage (Medicare Supplemental Insurance) is optional extra coverage that pays some or all of your Traditional Medicare out of pocket cost. Many, maybe most or all, insurers are adjusting their Medigap premiums in 2025 - This isn’t unique to UHC.   If you can shop around, do so - but that means that either you live in a state that has expanded their guaranteed issue rights or you can pass underwriting.  Underwriting rules are based on the insurer - strict or more lenient - an independent  Medicare Insurance broker would be knowledgeable about this for the insurers they represent.   In many states, the respective dept of insurance has good info for the beneficiary consumer on Medigap plans.  Like this one from the State of Nevada.Nevada DOI.gov - 2025 MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE PREMIUM COMPARISON GUIDE  General knowledge of all of the different Medigap plans is a MUST before making the decision about which to p

1st question:  Do you think that the whole program of Medicare is a good value to you - meaning pretty complete for the price you pay? As the header question said:  What, if any, improvements would you want to make to the Medicare program ? Like adding dental, vision and hearing or anything else.Better drug coverage? Like having a maximum out of pocket - annual or lifetime - with added coverage after reaching this point.  What would that figure be? Like lower Part B premiums or deductible or none at all?Like lower Part A deductible per incident or none at all? Would you include changes to your home to make it easier for you to live there?  Like ramps, widening doors, etc  Would you include some activities of daily living care?  For how long? Whatever you think the program might need to be an improvement for you. Now, next question - How Much Would You Be Willing To Pay for The things you listed?

FROM THE ARTICLE: How Enrollees Feel About Their Medicare Advantage Plans. By Teresa A. Keenan, AARP Research & Laura Mehegan, AARP Research.Published April 08, 2025. An AARP Research study of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries 66 and older shows high satisfaction rates among those who identify themselves as being in very good or excellent health — although those who self-identify as being in poor or fair health express less satisfaction with their plan. USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/health/coverage-access/medicare-advantage-enrollee-views/

Hello all, seems AARP are not the advocates they claim to be. With a perfect driving record and over ten years of loyalty to the auto insurance program, my new documents were just delivered. A 33% increase in my policy premiums? Every one with the Hartford Auto program better read their new policy documents carefully. Let me guess what the AARP response will be. Auto premiums are set by the insurance companies and we have no control over that. What's the point of supporting AARP then?

My physician has prescribed Wegovy for increasing adverse heart related conditions which continue to deteriorate. I have AARP Preferred Part D drug plan and was denied despite showing my Calcium Score being 191 along with elevated heart rate, angina, dyslipedemia and many other heart related symptoms in addition to a BMI of 34, sleep apnea and elevated risk of stroke. With this drug proven to improve my chances of improving my health and prevent a stroke or heart attack, why to I get denied coverage? Do I have to experience an adverse heart event to be approved?

12.7 % in Arizona averaged husband and wife.  Wasn't expecting such a high increase.  We do not have the Plus plan or whatever that is discounted in the early years.  That plan basically phases out the discount for add ons that we chose not to take.  So this is just straight G coverage only.   For those that have been in the plan longer, (this is our first rate increase), what were you seeing over the years.  Anyone know where there this is a historical table?  

 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

It's been 2 months now and there are 3 known claims that are not showing up and 1 claim that is showing up but it's still in process more than 60 days later. I called UHC medicare advantage and they said they haven't gotten the claims. I called both providers to verify they filled within a week and shows pending insurance. UHC representative called my providers to ask them to resubmitt the the claims. That was 2 weeks ago and still not showing as claims. Can someone please explain why this may be happening? 

A mere 19% after 12.7% last year.  This is not what I expected based on what I knew when I signed up.  Posting this here as reference as a follow up to my post on the 2024 increase.  

I recieved a letter in mid june 2020 stating that UHC had sent me a check for $522.68 for overcharges on my drugs purchased through OPTUMRX and my local pharmacy that has never been cashed. They included a form to have OPTUMRX and UHC re-cut a check for the $522.68 and it was sent on july 1,2020. They said that once it was recieved, it would be processed and re-issued in 7 - 10 business days and I should recieve it in 30 days thus I should have recieved by mid-august. It is now mid-september and still no check, just a runaround when I inquire when check was sent and when i should recieve. I have now contacted the Attorney General in the State of Nebraska's medicare fraud division to file a formal complaint. I had UHC- AARP medicare complete HMO and was getting all my statements to my current address thru December 2019 when I moved my coverage to Humana medicare HMO. As of today, September 15, 2020, I have not recieved the refund check for the overcharges on the OPTUMRX perscriptions.

 I thought AARP was supposed to watch out for seniors but am starting to think it is a scam. I had to join AARP to take out the UHC Plan G+ in Sept 2024 and was paying $147.29 and rec’d a letter today saying my premium is going up to $166.66 starting in Sept 2025. Who is advocating for us? I am already penalized for being a widow who lives alone with no other person in my home having UHC.  Does UHC always jack up the premiums after your first year to this extent? I will be 68 in June with no chronic health issues.

FROM THE ARTICLE: What happens when my Medicare premiums are higher than my Social Security check?You may find your benefit payments zeroed out — and that you owe money for Part B. By Linda Dono, AARP. Reviewed by Stephen Richardson. Published April 10, 2025. More than 100,000 people who have close to the 10-year minimum amount of work necessary to receive Social Security benefits can find themselves with a Medicare Part B premium bigger than their monthly Social Security payment.The result? They won’t get a check. USE THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/social-security/faq/high-medicare-premiums-smaller-check.html

Under the Biden Admin, the cost of insulin was reduced to $35 a month.  Under the same policy, the cost of the drug Eliquis was scheduled to be reduced in Jan 2026.  Will this reduction still be implemented or has the Trump Admin taken away this much needed relief from high priced medicines?

I am searching for a Medicare Part D plan that includes Wegovy or another semaglutide in their 2025 formulary for a diagnosis of pre-diabetes.  After weeks of intermittent searching I have found NO useful information from any source.  The MyMedicare plan search tool doesn't help.  The clock is ticking on the enrollment period.  I'm hoping someone in this community may know any of the following:a Part D plan that includes Wegovy or other semaglutide in their 2025 formulary;for which diagnoses Wegovy or other semaglutide is covered in that plan;at what level of coverage;whether pre-approval is required.Any links to useful sites or documents would be also be much appreciated. Thanks for your help!

Given the current litigation and press about United Healthcare and their propensity to delay and denial care, how can AARP continue to support this company?

Over the past year we have had our auto insurance through AARP and the Hartford, paying $2,497 for two vehicles. It is renewal time and our Agent tells us that The Hartford has decided to increase their rates across the tri-county area in south Florida. Our renewal policy increased $690 annually. This, in spite of our clear driving record. My agent also tells us that it is a strategy the company has taken to reduce risk. They know that X% will drop them and switch to another company. They also know that Y% will continue with them and pay the higher rate, offsetting the lost revenue. So the insurance company, in the end, is able to maintain revenue with a smaller customer base and thus reduce their exposure to risk. Great plan for the company unless the value of X turns out greater than expected. Although I think the Hartford is a top notch company I am one of the X's and am switching to another well regarded company with similar coverage, including accident forgiveness, payin

  I recently was interested in buying a $100,000 LTC policy funded by my IRA and was told that I needed to wire the $100,000 before the insurance company would send my my contract and benefit information. Is this normal? They are a well known company but I just couldn't imagine sending the money without a contract.

Renew Active has fixed its website, so supplement holders no longer have to log in to their UHC account and do two-factor verification just to see which gyms are available to them. UHCrenewactive.com now has a drop-down menu where you pick your fitness network (e.g. Advantage or supplement).  Yay!  Plus the interface on the Renew Active site is massively easier to use than the one accessed by logging in to my UHC account. Supplement holders now have an easier time finding gyms, and people with Advantage plans can see what gyms would be included if they switch to a UHC supplement, or change to an Advantage plan that includes premium gyms. None of this brings back Club Pilates or Stretch Lab, of course, but at least I can look for gyms without wanting to tear my hair out.  And people can be informed customers when choosing a UHC supplement or Advantage plan. Unfortunately, it's not working on my Firefox, but it does work on Chrome.

 We paid for Medicare PART A or Medicare Hospital Insurance during our working years via a payroll tax currently at the rate of 1.45% for the employee and matched by the employer.  This is on all earned income.  But this Trust Fund is running out of money.  So what are we to do for this portion of Medicare to preserve it - probably the only solution is to up the payroll tax rate for those working - but also perhaps it is to review these benefits and cut back on them when we can.  Medicare Advantage plans already do this so perhaps it is time for traditional Medicare specifically  Medicare Part A to become more managed-care-like or at least make sure that the medical need is there under Part A Medicare. What else could we do?  Cut doctor pay even more?  Cut payments to hospitals and Skilled Nursing Facilities?   Each part of Medicare is different - in what it covers and how it is funded - so it is best to take each part and discuss

I trusted AARP to only "endorse" an insurance provider that would be sensitive to our increasing need for complex medical treatment as we age. Turns out AARP has failed us. UHC is literally killing me by trying to tell my heart specialist what he should be prescribing rather than what he wants to prescribe. This not a simple generic replacement for a brand name. They literally want him to select from 4 drugs that do not treat my HCM in the same way. AARP - you should be ashamed to make UHC the insurance provider that you are associating with - we trusted you & you clearly are making decisions based on something other than the quality of the organization in serving the senior population. 

  We pay for Medicare Part B or SMI Insurance (Supplemental Medical Insurance) by premiums which are either paid or deducted from our Social Security Benefit.  The amount we pay in premiums are based on our income.  Lower income beneficiaries have their premiums paid for them by their state if they meet the eligibility guidelines in income and assets; therefore these lower income beneficiaries actually have their premiums paid by YOU, the state taxpayers.  The majority of beneficiaries pay a premium that is equal to 25% of the cost of the program.  Higher income beneficiaries based on their higher income pay a premium that is higher in a percentage of coverage from 35%, 50%, 65%, 80% to 85% of the program cost instead of the standard 25% (these higher premiums are known as IRMAA or "income related monthly adjustment Amounts and these are very high.   The remainder of the Part B cost are covered by our government's general fund - meaning it adds t

FROM THE ARTICLE - SEE ARTICLE FOR MORE!!! Open enrollment for Part D and Medicare Advantage plans begins Oct. 15. By Kimberly Lankford, AARP. Published September 27, 2024. Average monthly premiums for Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans will decrease in 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Friday. The average monthly premium for a stand-alone Part D prescription plan is projected to be $40 next year, a decline of $1.63, almost $20 annually. https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2024/drug-plan-premiums.html

FROM THE ARTICLE: By Kimberly Lankford, AARP. *** There are 2 Comments on the AARP website. Stop by to add yours. *** Published June 16, 2022.➡️ Updated January 24, 2025. ⬅️ No the infamous donut hole — when Medicare beneficiaries with Part D prescription drug coverage had to pay 100 percent of their drug costs until they reached a certain threshold — has closed.Also gone is the less intense but still steep coverage gap, which occurred when you and your drug plan reached $5,030 spent on covered medications in 2024 and you had to pay up to 25 percent of the cost for covered drugs, more out of pocket than in your initial coverage period. USE THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/medicare/faq/donut-hole-coverage-gap.html

On my Medicare Claims and Medicare Summary, a service is not covered and Medicare States I may be billed / am responsible for $0. This is with a Medicare Contractrated Provider.  Stanford is taking the amount I am not responsible per Medicare and billing my Medicare Supplement Plan  - AARP UHC, which I was told by a Medicare rep is a violation of Medicare, and an investigation is supposedly being opened.  Of course, UHC wont pay it since Medicare isnt covering it. UHC states on their statement I may be responsible for charges unpaid. So Stanford says I must pay. I have tried everything you can think of to remedy this.  Any Ideas? 

  age 67 female.   Enrolled in 2023 , $84 a month     2024  $96 month . 2025  $113 a month