I am sick of all these phone calls, UNITED HEALTHCARE

[ce7177]

United Health Care: calls from 443-853-6898
I am TIRED OF THESE 2-3X wkly calls!!!!!!!!!!! wants to have a "home service" available from my medical insurance ...hang up! I NEVER gave my cell # for _this_
Caller: Home service United HealthCare?? AARP do something about it! I joined via, YOU

[jp2306867]

It is good that you are happy with your MA plan. But seniors need to know what they are getting when they enroll in such a plan. Traditional Medicare is not private insurance. Medicare Advantage plans are private insurance with no connection to traditional Medicare other than their name. They deny care when it interferes with their profits. I hope that never happens to you.

[MelvinK439467]

Also stay away from Humana!! They do the same thing as UHC profits over patients, thanks because of that I lost ALL of my retirement savings to pay what insurance says they don’t want to!!! Going with a different company in 2024. At least this new company has a reputation of paying their customers bills. We’ll see, can’t trust a single insurance salesman to tell you the TRUTH!!! 

[c895668l]

I'll add to that. Their main purpose of existence is not providing low cost services to you and I. They're like any other corporation. Charge consumers what the market will bear and pay the highest dividends possible to their stock holders. 

[GailL1]

@jp2306867 wrote

Traditional Medicare is not private insurance.

But the GAP insurance connected to it IS offered by private plans and not everybody can afford a GAP plan or want one.

@jp2306867 wrote 

Medicare Advantage plans are private insurance with no connection to traditional Medicare other than their name.

That is.NOT Right - MA plans cover everything that traditional Medicare covers just in a different way. MA plans are Part C of Medicare.

CMS governs and audits all Medicare plans and approves their participation as a PART C provider.  

MA plans are managed care type plans and there are different types - PPO, HMO, Special Needs

@jp2306867 wrote

They deny care when it interferes with their profits. I hope that never happens to you.

MA plans can only deny care if it isn’t medically necessary or if the doctor fails to document why the care is needed and the diagnosis fits the treatment plan.

Medicare has a Local Determination and National Determination of treatments - that one can check to see what is and is not covered under either type plan - Traditional or MA plan.

[LindaW906952]

   Plenty of complaints about advantage plans.

   https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/24/medicare-advantage-plans-congress-00128353

  When I was employed, my employer paid $800 a month for each employee's   health insurance with a private insurance company.  Now that I am retired, advantage plans (and original medicare) get $174.70 a month!  These for-profit-insurance companies have to make money so they require prior authorizations and can deny them.  I don't feel they are looking out for seniors who aren't wealthy and need to save money

[Fall2024inVA]

(3/9/24) @LindaW906952 and more doctors are "refusing" to deal with MEDICARE. At age 66 this year, I try to take care of myself.  😎

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[*** LINDA @LindaW906952 wrote:

   Plenty of complaints about advantage plans.

   https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/24/medicare-advantage-plans-congress-00128353

  When I was employed, my employer paid $800 a month for each employee's   health insurance with a private insurance company.  Now that I am retired, advantage plans (and original medicare) get $174.70 a month!  These for-profit-insurance companies have to make money so they require prior authorizations and can deny them.  I don't feel they are looking out for seniors who aren't wealthy and need to save money ***]

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[JacquelineL588328]

United Health Care is literally driving me nuts. They call me 5-6 times a week & if I don't answer they start texting me. I signed with them for my insurance but the repeated calls to discuss medicine, in home visits, anything constitutes as harassment. This can't be legal if u are not sick,  by the time they finish calling u u will be. There has to be a answer & I'm already on do not call registry. They call me twice as much as telemarketers.

[marancan]

They also then start harassing our doctors as well.  Calling the doctors' offices about us (calling even the doctors themselves!) and pushing the physicians to harass us about things which should be the patient's own choice, not some mandate from them.

[GailL1]

 Medicare Advantage plans are called “managed care” for a reason.

  Yes, they do have rules and some steps (protocols) that have to be met for some benefits to be paid.  Read your Explanation of Coverage.

CMS has allowed them to work this way as an alternative to Traditional Medicare.  

For many people, MA is their only choice since picking up a MediGAP or being eligible for Medicaid or paying out of pocket the remaining 20% of the Traditional Medicare’s cost is not an alternative for them (financially).

[ClaraC474743]

I have been having the same happening to me. Between United and Optum I get constant calls 1. They want me to enroll in mail order on one of my drugs, but the catch is currently it is cheaper at my local pharmacy and my Dr has to change dosage every month.  2. My Dr also has me on a generic lipator, but I don't trust it, it causes physical pain. My Dr is good, but I know my body.  Lastly I am tired of all the twits out there who think because we are a certain age we are stupid.  

[BourbonRose]

Clara, you hit the nail on the head.  Celebrating your 65th birthday (or beyond) isn't synonymous with loosing your marbles.

[ElizabethM924326]

Ask about switching to generic version of Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) -- just a bit more expensive, but fewer side effects (including less muscle/joint pain), not food sensitive (like Lipitor is with grapefruit et al).  I'm glad I switched.

[RandyD417691]

United Healthcare would like to get their Medicare Advantage customers classified as requiring a higher level of care so they get a much higher level of reimbursement.
Also, I think that some of those calls are from crooks pretending to be UHC, trying to get your birth date "to confirm your identity." Someone who calls you legitimately does not need to confirm your identity. They should be able to tell you your name and spell it correctly or they are phishing.

[LindaG306015]

I second your opinion. I’m extremely disgruntled. The guy I spoke to today was more persistent than Prof. Harold Hill in “The Music Man.”  Why on earth, during a pandemic, would I allow some schmo I don’t know into my home to perform redundant tests and physical exams?  I’m not home-bound. To me, this smacks of them trying to detect if we are still “insurance-worthy.”  Maybe time to check out other Medicare options. AARP, how is this cool??

[WilliamM339603]

I don't have a problem with UHC phone calls, but I got a flyer in the mail about Medicare Advantage. Came to find out that their MA is not available in my area. Called them and the rep confirmed unavailability but could not or would not say why I got the flyer anyway. Reported to FTC, Medicare and state DOI for false/misleading advertising.

[necolson]

I agree. I have found them so intrusive and annoying that I am thinking of switching to another provider. Fortunately, I have caller ID so I never take calls from United Healthcare. I also immediately delete their emails. I personally don't need or want their nurses, housecalls and so on.

[olgar213311]

Same here - don't give information over the phone! Told them to bug OFF

[CaroleW755826]

I solved the problem of all spam calls by putting a spam blocker on both my mobile phone (Robokiller) which allows you to screen calls, answer the call, block the caller or automatically block known spammers. For the landline phone you can buy a spam blocker much better than Nomorobo (this limits your entries to 25, is not good).

[ma1697]

I had a friend who did that, and when he entered a raffle and won $2500 they could not get in touch with him because the calls were blocked.  Make sure you don't ever use that phone number for anything that may be in some way important....   like a $2500 raffle.

[DanielleM872753]

I’m getting these same calls about 2-4x a week sometimes more and they are being very pushy and insisting I verify all my information with the caller. I haven’t provided any information however I have told them numerous times No Thank you, Place me on your Do Not Call List and I was told “We can’t do that Ma’am” 

This isn’t right! The phone number starts with 443 and the Caller ID shows United Health.

[RodyS297776]

I have been facing the same problem and the worst problem is they call you during work hours. Is there any permanent solution to this problem

[RMHarley00]

Not sure why anyone would sign up with United Healthcare for a MediGap policy.  I researched both Plan G and Plan N and found that AARP/United Healthcare have some of the highest monthly premiums.  Remember that all insurers MUST offer the same benefits for each Plan letter designation.  Why would you choose one with a higher monthly premium?

My wife and I have had Mutual of Omaha Plan N for 2 years and have never had any issues.  She has had two major surgeries and we have only paid the Part B deductible for our out-of-pocket costs.

[ElizabethM924326]

In my state the AARP/UHC MediGap policy was the only insurer that offered a "Community based" pricing (vs. "Issue Age" or "Attained Age"), meaning the price should not skyrocket in my later years.  Possibly that is why it was priced somewhat higher than many of the others (although still much less than some).  Granted the "Community" priced premiums will likely increase with time and inflation (as will all the others); but in the long run I should save money.

[ma1697]

Mine was the most reasonable of all premiums.  As they say, your mileage may vary.....

[GailL1]

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@RMHarley00 wrote:

Not sure why anyone would sign up with United Healthcare for a MediGap policy. . . . .

These calls probably aren't from insurers who represent a (any) Medigap plan which a beneficiary may have in addition to their original Medicare - that's just Gap insurance.  These calls are probably from insurers who represent the beneficiary with a Medicare Advantage plan which they have chosen instead of original Medicare.  They have a high stake in keeping the beneficiary healthy; they also have a higher stake in knowing just how sick (or not) a beneficiary may be - That may include things which a doctor check up doesn't always cover like evaluating the beneficiary safety, nutrition, emotional, physical and social well-being in everyday life.

[CaroleW755826]

You are right. Housecalls is affiliated with Medicare Advantage for the very reason you say.  Last year I blocked them with RoboKiller until December when they left a message offering me and my husband $75 each for their 1/2 hour in-home 'check-up'. Why refuse $150???  I today received an email with an offer for $50 each if we accept. I'm waiting under December!!  Point is, they don't get through my screener so I never receive the calls.

[GaryS119197]

If I want a home visit I will let you know.  Really terrible idea for a high risk couple during a pandemic.  We will stick with twice yearly primary physician check up appointments or seek medical care as needed.

I get too many annoying calls already.  Reported to nomorobo.

I will not reward this unethical, inconsiderate telemarketing.

Continuation after request to stop is a violation of donotcall registry law!

$10,000 fine per occurence.

Had to tell OptumRx to knock it off, too. I don't want my meds delivered to a mailbox a block away in extreme heat or cold. 

[FrancisH736859]

They call me almost every day for surveys or prescription reminders or want me to change pharmacy.  I am 72 and I know how to dress myself and don't need someone to ask me if I have fallen lately or tell me what kind of shoes to wear.  And the Junk mail never stops?  Doctors listed in their book are not taking new patients.  Not a single Rheumatologist is listed.  Shissh!

[FrancisH736859]

I get calls almost every day to answer a survey!  I get 4, 5,6 surveys a month.  I have tried to call my navigator and he is "Never" there. I leave messages for him to return my call and it never happens.  I get junk mail every day.  They call my doctors. They want me to chsnge my pharmacy they want to remind me to fill my prescriptions.  I am sick and it never stops!

[craigm787722]

My problem is they keep trying to wedge themselves between me and my pharmacy over the frequency of refills on my blood pressure meds. My doctor has already told me that I am doing so well that I can skip a dose once in awhile or split it. They are seeing I'm not getting refills like clockwork and are calling me weekly. Last week they got pushy; a pharmacist with United called me wanting to know what issues I was having. Long story short I wound up hanging up on her after -I felt- being talked to like a senile idiot. They then apparently called my pharmacy themselves with a refill order!  My pharmacist just will disregard the refill order. I have NEVER encountered such pushiness  from any carrier and we are NOT staying with them when the time comes. BTW my BP read this week at my doctors office was 116/62.I'd say I'm doing just fine without their nannying.