AARP and United Helthcare

[fc3785]

My Medicare supplements (drug and medical) are covered by United Healthcare. For 2025 my premium for drug coverage will increase by 71% from 2024, and 218% from 2023. Medications have not changed in any substantial way in that period.

I will take this up with United Healthcare, but since AARP is, in essence, endorsing this carrier, do you monitor in anyway what they do? I see you receive payment from them and yet many seniors see this as more than some "no-fault advertisement" and will purchase their plans based on what appears to be an endorsement by AARP.

Please comment on my understanding.

Thank you

FHCorey

[AARPConsumerCare]

@fc3785 Hi FHCorey, I'm so sorry to hear you're having trouble with our benefit provider, UnitedHealthcare. We are listening and would like the chance to help as soon as possible. Please visit https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team.  - Janelle M.

[shamit]

@fc3785 :  @ GailL1 is correct that you need to look at your options every year for Part D and/or Medicare Advantage plans.  You are too late for this year.  It ended yesterday.  My Part D went up 50% from 2023 to 2024 but still reasonable at $9.60 per month.  This year, 2025, it went up about 385%.  It went from the $9.60 to $45 per month.  Well it didn't really go up.  they do a sneaky of no longer offering that prescription plan.  Instead they change you to their other plan that has a much higher cost. 

Needless to say I checked the plans and I found one that has a premium of $0 per month.  I checked my medications too when doing the online check.  My medications are generics and will also cost me $0 per month.  I signed up for that plan back in October and already have my prescription card for the new year.  So it is not just United Healthcare.  But I decided against them from the start.  I didn't let the AARP name influence me.  They never made it into my decision as their rates were higher in my state.  Now our state has a birthday rule that started in 2024.  Now I can see which medigap plan is the best each year and make a change without underwriting.  Underwriting becomes harder the older you get.  We (husband and I) did it when we were 72 and 68 and had no problems, but you never know when something will happen.

[GailL1]

@fc3785 

For your Part D or drug coverage, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created several changes to the Prescription Drug Plan Coverage which are increasing the premium cost for many people as well as changing the formularies and sometimes the tier rating of specific medications.  

Now IF you take a high cost drug, this is gonna help immensely but if not, a beneficiary would be wise to evaluate their current plan and make sure it meets their needs OR pick another one during the AEP (annual enrollment period October 15, 2024 - December 7, 2024.

Key changes include shifting financial liability from government to Part D plans in the Part D catastrophic phase and capping annual patient cost sharing at $2,000 per year. The changes go into full effect in 2025, and are projected to increase premiums in exchange for out-of-pocket savings and greater plan liability

It’s insurance and when added benefits are added, we all have to pay our fair share.  

It seems that you might not have reevaluated your Part D coverage plan - you may want to do it now even if the AEP is over.  Make sure that the plan still covers any medication needs for your - IOW, check the formulary.  Make sure of the tier level of any needed medications.  See if your plan changed in design - like now there is a deductible applied.

All of this should have been communicated to you back in October 2024by the plan’s insurance sponsor when the plans sent out their annual explanation of coverage changes.

KFF.org- 10/09/2024 - A Current Snapshot of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit 

Many of the Part D insurance sponsors increased their premiums in 2024 since their ability to raise premiums in 2025 and a few years later were also capped by the IRA.

During the AEP, you were given the chance to change your Part D Prescription  Drug Coverage to any of the ones that were offered in your area.  Medicare.gov offered a comparison tool where you insert your zip code and the prescriptions you are currently on to give you a summary of the available plans in your area that covered your drugs. 

Medicare.gov - Explore Your Medicare Coverage Options 

We must take the responsibility to review these plan options EVERY year since they change and a beneficiary needs to make sure the one they pick picks their needs.  These Medicare Part D Prescription Drug insurers as well as the drug manufacturers are per the IRA law having to cover more of the cost associated with the medications - thus an increase in premiums brought on in most all cases by the changes which the Inflation Reduction Act forced upon them.

If you take no meds you still need to find the lowest cost plan so that your enrollment will prevent you from having to pay a late enrollment penalty.  

Now, be happy that your medication cost are capped at $2000 annually and be thankful that people who have to take very high cost medications now get a somewhat reprieve from these high cost meds. all courtesy of the IRA AND the drug  manufacturers and insurers picking up more of the associated cost.

AARP owns their name - and they give permission to several of their benefits providers to use their name (AARP) - and the AARP gets a royalty from them for the use of their name.  It has nothing to do with AARP being involved in the benefit - it isn’t.  Neither does it imply a better price or discount when the name carries the AARP logo unless specifically stated that it applies to the AARP branded product.  Neither does it imply that somehow AARP has given the benefit a seal of approval.

Medicare coverage be that a Medigap policy, a Medicare Advantage plan, A Medicare Advantage plan with an included Prescription Drug plan, or a Free-standing Medicare Prescription Drug plan (Part D) are all overseen in rules and laws by government - federal and sometimes states.  

ANYTHING that is outside of law and/or rule based coverage are not contractual coverage and can be changed at will by the insurance offerer.  To me, these types of “extra benefits” like gym membership, dental, vision or hearing benefits, premium give backs or additional OTC coverage can be easily be discontinued so don’t count on them to be around forever - consider them to be marketing ploys like loss leaders.

Always read your current policy to understand exactly what your are buying and any limits on any coverage promises as differing from rules and laws passed by a government entity.