Contributor ⭐

Is AARP United Healthcare Medicare supplimental insurance as bad as the customer reviews say??

Forum|Forum|10 years ago
October 30, 2015
134 replies
132990 views

Hi,
AARP's Medicare Supplemental Medicare Insurance sounds great... but I decided that before I purchase it I should read the reviews.

I was astounded!

Consumer affairs reviews were the worst I have EVER seen for any product or service from any company. People were talking about outright misrepresentation of services, copays, non-existent customer service. Representatives simply hanging up on customers, drug formularies not covering many common medications. Increasing co-pays. A litany of misrepresentation and worse.

Now I understand the Internet. You will always find people more willing to badmouth a product or service than to praise it... but I looked for positive reviews and found none...

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/insurance/aarp_medicare.html

Is it really this bad? If so why does AARP tolerate this if they are, as they claim, an organization that exists to promote the best interests of senior citizens?

Have I simply been looking for reviews of AARP United Healthcare supplemental insurance in the wrong places?

Can anyone here describe their own experience with this insurance? I live in California... but will be moving to Arizona...

If not AARP/UHC insurance, can anyone here recommend a company for Medicare supplemental insurance with which they have had a positive experience?

Thanks

This topic has been closed for replies.

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PhilipW591978

Contributor ⭐

AARP and many of the companies they promote are money grabbing blood suckers. DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE and read the reviews. United healthcare is just one example. My wife was given a monthly quote of 200 some dollars for a Medicare supplement plan. After going through underwriting the quote was double and the reviews showed they will routinely deny claims. Same thing with life insurance and others.........

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ykaplinsky

Contributor ⭐⭐

When you are in a guaranteed issue period, like right after you turn 65, there is no underwriting BUT that being said, if you are passed that period EVERY Supplement carrier, not just UHC will put you through underwriting and you get the quote ONLY if you pass underwriting. Was that not explained to you when you got the quote? UHC does insure people that, in some cases, would be denied coverage by other carriers but you will be rated up and pay more. EVERY supplement carrier does this. Once you have to be underwritten, you will either be accepted, be accepted at a higher premium or you will be declined. We have had UHC for 18 years with bills running as high as $97,000 a month and all bills were paid promptly with never a decline. Be careful. When people complain about their "supplement" not covering, they often do not understand that they really have an Advantage plan not a supplement...very different.

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Robert0B

Contributor ⭐

If You question practices or attitudes you will get 1,000 emails pointing about your mistake. With that said, it is important you know that there is NO....ZERO... advocacy or advantage/benefit to using AARP vs any other commercially available coverage. Also, this is not a not for profit org in the truest sense of the word...they return nothing material back to the members directly so the billion they rake in from the carriers they recommend do not make your life better as mar as your medical. There is also influence from AARP on the medicare operations and the claim reviewers they contract out to. So AARP is very much a part of the "deny, deny, deny they won't appeal" sector and nothing in their writings or relationships or advocacy or politics is of any effect on that being an issue.

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alexiss12

Contributor ⭐⭐

Robert, you are basically correct that all the commercial Medicare Supplemental plans are basically the same. Since I have had to have a supplemental plan since I turned 57 due to being disabled (therefore with AARP Medicare Supplemental for 17 years ) I can attest that My coverage is very good. Note: what I did find out from moving from NJ - to PA and now to Florida each state appears to calculate rates differently Plus some customer service experiences over the years have not been very good But for ME in general I have found that my bills get paid quickly, never denied. And yes you are also correct that AARP does push users into strongly suggesting their vendors ie phones, auto insurance, etc dental (note I never use the dental since I found those listed as in the network were terribel So one needs to be a savvy But one small thing is some of the negative reviews listed regarding the insurance is not for the AARP supplemental but rather the Advantage which is totally different (yes a lot cheaper but much more restrictive)

@Robert0B wrote:
If You question practices or attitudes you will get 1,000 emails pointing about your mistake. With that said, it is important you know that there is NO....ZERO... advocacy or advantage/benefit to using AARP vs any other commercially available coverage. Also, this is not a not for profit org in the truest sense of the word...they return nothing material back to the members directly so the billion they rake in from the carriers they recommend do not make your life better as mar as your medical. There is also influence from AARP on the medicare operations and the claim reviewers they contract out to. So AARP is very much a part of the "deny, deny, deny they won't appeal" sector and nothing in their writings or relationships or advocacy or politics is of any effect on that being an issue.

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alexiss12

Contributor ⭐⭐

Note AARP supplemental is great (read my text just from This year!) The Advantage programs are basically like HMO's with limited coverage, some with large deductibles, limited networks etc

‎01-17-2023 10:34 PM

First Medicare Supplemental is so much different from the Medicare Advantage plans. I have always always always heard horror stories regarding the Advantage plans with denials/ increases /doctor changes etc etc etc. But the Supplementals, I have had for years (since turning 65 as has my husband) So 4 years now! We never pay 1 cent for anything! True we have plan F (as now it is not offered anymore substituted with plan G)! Every other year our doctor tests All our heart arteries for heart issues/ stroke/ ekg's/eco's/ Cat scans of the tummy / MRI's for sciatic issues/shots for the sciatic issues and never ever ever have been denied or pay anything Ever!

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alexiss12

Contributor ⭐⭐

You more than likely have been not checking the correct AARP Medicare Supplemental reviews as the Advantage programs are not that great for coverage. I heard horror stories of denials limited network, long waits for appointments etc etc etc. ie look at my review from just Jan of 2023 (this year)!

‎01-17-2023 10:34 PM

First Medicare Supplemental is so much different from the Medicare Advantage plans. I have always always always heard horror stories regarding the Advantage plans with denials/ increases /doctor changes etc etc etc. But the Supplementals, I have had for years (since turning 65 as has my husband) So 4 years now! We never pay 1 cent for anything! True we have plan F (as now it is not offered anymore substituted with plan G)! Every other year our doctor tests All our heart arteries for heart issues/ stroke/ ekg's/eco's/ Cat scans of the tummy / MRI's for sciatic issues/shots for the sciatic issues and never ever ever have been denied or pay anything Ever!

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alexiss12

Contributor ⭐⭐

First Medicare Supplemental is so much different from the Medicare Advantage plans. I have always always always heard horror stories regarding the Advantage plans with denials/ increases /doctor changes etc etc etc. But the Supplementals, I have had for years (since turning 65 as has my husband) So 4 years now! We never pay 1 cent for anything! True we have plan F (as now it is not offered anymore substituted with plan G)! Every other year our doctor tests All our heart arteries for heart issues/ stroke/ ekg's/eco's/ Cat scans of the tummy / MRI's for sciatic issues/shots for the sciatic issues and never ever ever have been denied or pay anything Ever!

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f130540w

Contributor ⭐

We're having a heck of a time trying to disenroll from UHC. We called to disenroll 12/7/22 and just now got a bill for January 2023. In trying to obtain some adovcacy from AARP through their chat, they just said call UHC. I wouldn't get this insurance if I were you.

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alexiss12

Contributor ⭐⭐

If you changed to a different plan the company that you switched to should of been the one to contact UHC Medicare. For us that was how it went smooth as silk!

Roxanna35

Contributor ⭐⭐

We have that supplemental now for a few years. and we love it. in Florida we don' have a montly fee just copays and hey have all the doctors that we need and want. we have a PPO complete and we really like it.

no name

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Robert0B

Contributor ⭐

let me give a 2023 update. I am in Florida. These clowns turned down an annual prostate and pelvic MRI reimbursement for someone with prostate cancer. Nuff said.

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ykaplinsky

Contributor ⭐⭐

You do know that if Medicare (the GOVERNMENT) approved the MRI, then UHC HAS to pay ...they cannot turn down anything. Now maybe you have a Medicare ADVANTAGE policy and that is very different from a Medicare SUPPLEMENT.

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bearswamplady

Contributor ⭐

Aetna Medicare has been a positive experience for me the last 4 years.

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CarolynL684209

Contributor ⭐

I have had plan for many years, utilized the wellness plan year after year.Now to be told denied coverage of an additional mammographic view or ultrsound for a complete evaluation needed is so disheartening. Apparently, the yearly mammo received revealed concerns. I have to wait out another year to be authorized for this company to pay for that yearly exam ? I cannot afford the additional imaging, what can I do????

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GailL1

@CarolynL684209 wrote:
I have had plan for many years, utilized the wellness plan year after year.Now to be told denied coverage of an additional mammographic view or ultrsound for a complete evaluation needed is so disheartening. Apparently, the yearly mammo received revealed concerns. I have to wait out another year to be authorized for this company to pay for that yearly exam ? I cannot afford the additional imaging, what can I do????

All insurance plans, even Traditional Medicare, work the same in this regards.

You get:

A Screening mammograms once every 12 months if you’re a woman age 40 or older - that's the "Wellness" part or the "Preventative" test.
Diagnostic mammograms more frequently than once a year, if MEDICALLY NECESSARY.

If your doctor orders an additional mammogram because of something which needs to be reviewed, then it is a diagnostic procedure NOT WELLNESS.

As long as it is medically necessary for a potential diagnosis, then your insurance company will cover it under the terms of your policy for diagnostic procedures. Your copays and other related cost will apply.

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ykaplinsky

Contributor ⭐⭐

OMG. Medicare (the government) pays first. UHC, BY LAW, cannot deny the claim if Medicare has paid first. THAT IS IF YOU HAVE A SUPPLEMENT. If you have an ADVANTAGE policy, that works very differently and your doc has to show medical necessity for an ADVANTAGE policy.

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GraceA541853

Contributor ⭐

This is a difficult question to answer coming from my wife and myself because thus far we have been pretty healthy. No major physical ills and no medications.

We have been AARP United Healthcare Medicare customers since 2011 and have paid them a total of $30,092.41 in premiums during this time. Here is our issue with UHC. After being together for 20 years my wife and I were married in 2013. She kept the married name she was using at the time. This past February my wife decided to change from the name she was using since being in elementary school to her birth name, which meant she needed to correct her name on her social security card, drivers license, investment account, credit cards, checking, and savings accounts. You know, the really important accounts. Lastly, she needed to get her name corrected on the AARP UHC Medicare ID card. They requested I send a copy of our marriage license with a note stated what we wanted her name to be change to for the correction. After a month, I called. The representative said they couldn't locate the information I sent. So I resent a copy of the marriage license, Florida Drivers License, and birth certificate as requested. Again, didn't hear from them so after a month I called. The rep did find the documents she said, but that the marriage license didn't have the corrected name on it. I told her that was because we were married 7 years ago and my wife recently her name. No, the birth certificate (the Holy Grail for "what is your real name") wasn't good enough, nor the Florida drivers license. What was needed? The rep said we needed to go to the Courthouse and change the name on the marriage license. This was about the time that I lost it. I commented that my wife didn't have a problem signing up for insurance using her nominal name and now that she wishes to change it to her legal name there is a problem? Didn't make a lot of sense to me. Talked to a rep today and she commented that they sent my wife a letter on March 16th stated what they needed. We never received this letter. I checked emails ... nothing received. This rep stated they needed a "document", but I couldn't get what "document" they needed. She said that a passport would do it. So my wife found her passport of twenty years ago with her legal, birthname and married last name. But, no, the rep said it needed to state her present married name. Mind you, the passport was from 20 years ago, and my wife and I were married 7 years ago.

Obviously, this is an outliner. But give me a break. I told the rep that my wife has her insurance card and providers know who she is so at the end of the year we can cancel our insurance and go to another company and have the correct, legal name on her insurance card. Unbelievable.

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GailL1

@GraceA541853

Seems to me that they should have used the same supporting documents which were used to change her name with the Social Security Administration for Social Security AND MEDICARE which should have been the Court documents showing the legal name change.

Nowhere in your post did I see where there had been communication with Medicare (CMS) on this matter. When the name was changed on Social Security, it should have been followed thru with a change to Medicare and a new Medicare card issued - from that point the Medicare Advantage plan info would be easy to change with the new Medicare card and the finalized Court documents on the name change.

SSA: FAQ - How do I change or correct my name on my Social Security number card?

Medicare.gov - Your Medicare Card

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alexiss12

Contributor ⭐⭐

I had a similar situation happen (years ago when I went on soc sec disability at 55). Rather than go through a huge explanation of what I needed to do or why , bottom line I needed to go down directly to a Social Security Office to have them coordinate the name changes with Medicare and therefore having my case worker coordinate everything with an insurance company. Everything went smoothly but took some time with me constantly on the phone with my rep handling my case at social security! But as I said that was years ago . I know within the last number of years due to very very strict laws issued due to protection of privacy of one's health records, extra precautions , sometimes very restrictive , so I can appreciate your pain and stress with trying to change everything . Good luck trying to call anyone at the Social Security or even Medicare as even before the virus thing you could wait online up to an hour! Since your situation sounds even more complex than what I went through years ago, perhaps you need to go in person to the Medicare Admin office explain the entire situation with them, get a claim number and see if They will be able to contact AARP to process the name change.

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