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
132859 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.

Show previous replies

emmafaithm1969

Contributor ⭐

I don't know about their supplemental insurance, but their complete plan has been a total nightmare for my health, especially my kidneys. Twice, within just a few short months, they refused to approve refills on my hypertension medication I've been taking for years, and forced me to go without it for about 4 weeks total while fighting with my healthcare provider who constantly tried to make it clear I needed my medication to protect my kidneys. (I had CKD Stage 3b at the time of the denial, which may be worse now.) The last lab results showed protein was spilling into my urine. Further damage to my kidneys! Anytime a doctor or his office has to argue and fight with an insurance company about your care, there is a serious problem and the patient is the one who suffers.

GailL1

@emmafaithm1969

Something definitely does not sound right here with whatever the problem might be between the doctors orders and your Medicare Advantage plan.

But without all the details, you should file a complaint with Medicare about your Medicare Advantage insurer so that they can check into the details and determine the problem.

Medicare.gov - Complaints about you health or drug plan

A Medicare Advantage medical staff do have the right to question things which might go contrary to the diagnosis code a doctor may use.

Sometimes it it might be just a simple code number being entered wrong but it would not take 4-weeks to come to a conclusion IF everybody is on the same page to get everything right. Since your prescription drug coverage is embedded in the same plan, it could be a problem either on the provider end or the prescription end with the insurer.

smwhelan

Contributor ⭐

Every time I come to their website ( https://www.medicare.uhc.com/aarp ) I waste hours only to end up calling on the phone and wasting more time! The new website is even worse! Two days ago I spent hours trying to find a new PCP since I received a letter stating that the current provider has left the practice. The search process simply does not work on this website. No matter what key words I input, I get incorrect information back if any at all. I put in "Lee Physicians Group" (current provider office) and get every doctor with the word "physician" in their profile! Yeah, that is all of them! I select various filters in the search fields but none work. For example: select 'female' but still have males mixed in. Select Fort Myers location but get them all! Put in a physician’s name but get no returns, even though I know they are in the network! UHC (United Health Care) actually selected/appointed a new physician for me automatically, way over in Cape Coral! They actually sent me my new ID card with my new PCP that I did not pick and do not want! I live in Fort Myers. So there are no physicians participating here anymore???

So as usual, yesterday I make the dreaded phone call. Yep, another day off wasted with UHC and still no results! After talking to a UHC rep yesterday for half an hour, and being put on and off of hold several time (they have to research EVERY question or escalate it to someone that may know the answer…), I finally realized she could not provide me with any information whatsoever! She said she could mail me a book with all the physicians listed in it! What!? I told her this is 2018, I am in your website now...just tell me how to access the available network physicians since the search function does not work! She said the website does not provide that. What!? So I cannot use the website to search for a new doctor nor can I access the information within the website. So what is the website for again??? So I asked to speak to a supervisor. After being on hold for a supervisor for 15 minutes, I hung up. This is not a one-time issue; this has become the new norm. Today I decided it was time to change insurance companies. So I have spent another morning on my day off to research other providers only to become so overwhelmed that I felt like giving up! I even sent emails from within the website a couple days ago asking for help and explaining what experience I had in a detailed message. They did not even respond! Fed Up! I suppose I will have to fill in one of those quote request online forms, only to be flooded with phone calls and emails from every agent in Florida! So I decided to put my review out there so others may make an informed decision on which Medicare supplemental insurance plan they place their healthcare needs with.

Arturistar

Contributor ⭐

Your situation sounds very frustrating, and I do not know why you are having such problems. My sister (both in Canton and North Canton, Ohio) and I have both had AARP United Healthcare Supplemental Plan F for over 5 years and we are both very happy with the insurance program, the customer service, and our interactions. I hope you get your issues resolved. Good luck to you.

ykaplinsky

Contributor ⭐⭐

I really wish people who are complaining about their Medicare SUPPLEMENT when they actually have a Medicare ADVANTAGE policy would look at their card and see what they actually have. YOU HAVE NO NETWORKS WITH THE SUPPLEMENT AND CAN SEE ANY DOCTOR THAT TAKES MEDICARE..NO REFERRALS. If you need to have a primary care doc, you have the Advantage policy. And if you need to change your primary care doc...CALL THE CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER ON THE BACK OF YOUR CARD AND YOU WILL FIND IT IS EASY TO DO.

Momsbigger

Contributor ⭐

I have AARP United healthcare and am afraid to go to a specialist. My Rheumatologist was also my primary for over 15 years but I had to find a new primary because I can't afford the high copays of being out of network. Speaking over the phone with United healthcare, once I was told my doctor was in network while my doctor let me know he wasn't and when calling uhc again I was inform that he was only in network at my specialist yet when i try to look him up to be sure I'm not able to find him at all. So I had to find a new primary and still see my Rheumatologist. But now he wants to send me to a surgeon for a turn meniscus that hasn't healed within 8 months but I decided to try and live with it because the surgeon is also out of network and I'm afraid to even ask if that's what i did to my ankle too? AND ... That sales agent that came to my house to sell me this policy has trouble finding him but managed to after a while of looking. I now how he found him now. And the agent told me that I couldn't get on plan F because I was under 65. My husband lost his job due to company closed and I had no choice but to get a supplemental. A few days later I decided to call Medicare and they told me I did qualify since I had just lost my private health insurance and had been on disability. I called and left messages with the agent and even spoke with AARP United healthcare and they refused to change the policy or even try to send the application through. They refused my eyedrops for severe dry eye caused by radiation treatment to my brain tumor causing me to develop psoriasis on the white of my eye on which my eye doctor informed me is going to cause me to go blind. Choose very carefully and study up on the different groups.

alexiss12

Contributor ⭐⭐

If your husband lost his job, he should be able to go onto Cobra, which lasts for up to 18 months! That is what I did when I went on disability at 57. I paid a higher premium but was covered for the 18 months and then went on the AARP United Healthcare Supplemental. I decided to go onto plan C which is pretty good like F where you can use any doctor who accepts Medicare. (Plan F pays a little more if the doctor charges over what is customary whereas with plan C one Can be charged the difference, but that never happened to me at all and I had the plan C for almost 7 year years until I went onto Medciare at 65). The Advantage Plans ypu appear to be suggesting are mostly all like HMO where you are forced to go in network (or pay higher co pays)Basically you should check out Cobra first, then if for some reason your husband can't get Cobra(although he should be able to for the both of you), then ask AARP reps (I did mine over the phone) to explain the differences in the Advantage verses Supplemental Insurances :if you have other questions

JhonW683154

Contributor ⭐

In the wake of perusing your remarks and those on that shopper issues board that you connected, I can see that there is a decent piece of perplexity.

I don't have a clue to what extent you or those analysts have been in the Medicare program however it is comprised of a wide range of parts.

Your post heading says "supplemental" protection which is Medigap inclusion and there isn't a lot of a private back up plan in such a program as Medicare Medigap (supplemental) protection can do to wreck since every one of the plans are carefully characterized by their letters in order title and inclusion by Medicare in spite of the fact that state protection controllers can watch premiums and how those premiums are set in their state.

There is NO model medicine inclusion in a supplemental arrangement.

The main prescriptions which spread the part that Medicare doesn't pay are the ones portrayed in Medicare Part B or as depicted in the event that you are hospitalized or organized for recooperation for a timeframe.

Typically with customary Medicare, you purchase a supplemental strategy to increase it and after that dependent on your medicine needs, you purchase a different Medicare D approach.

Obviously, seniors additionally have the decision of taking an interest in Medicare Part C or s Medicare Advantage plan rather than support in conventional myaarpMedicare, a supplemental approach and a physician recommended tranquilize plan.

Inside a Medicare Advantage Plan the private safety net provider has some space with regards to the arrangement configuration yet should in any case spread fundamentally indistinguishable things from Medicare. No Medigap or supplemental approach is required with a Medicar Advantage plan. Physician recommended Drug inclusion could conceivably be incorporated into the Medicare Advantage plan just as some different advantages which may likewise be incorporated into these Medicare Advantage (private safety net provider) plans.

Everyone needs to pick and pick the kind of Medicare which is best for them in inclusion and in cost.

a portion of the general population reacting on that buyer undertakings site additionally appear to be confounded.

Keep Calm!!

JimL612564

Contributor ⭐

I have to say it really really is as as bad as the customer reviews say. I just got denied a cardiac stress test that my doctor ordered after I have had a stroke. My doctor said there's nothing he can do about it. That's about as bad as it gets. United Healthcare is endangering my health. I have to sign up with another provider. Their revenues last year were $226.2 billion because of cost saving moves like this. DO NOT SIGN UP FOR UNITED HEALTHCARE!

They'll take your money and let you die before they'll give you even basic healthcare.

GailL1

@JimL612564 wrote:
I have to say it really really is as as bad as the customer reviews say. I just got denied a cardiac stress test that my doctor ordered after I have had a stroke. My doctor said there's nothing he can do about it. That's about as bad as it gets. United Healthcare is endangering my health. I have to sign up with another provider. Their revenues last year were $226.2 billion because of cost saving moves like this. DO NOT SIGN UP FOR UNITED HEALTHCARE!

They'll take your money and let you die before they'll give you even basic healthcare.

I'm guessing that you have a Medicare Advantage plan rather than traditional Medicare with a Medigap plan.

Just a denial of service is useless to you in assigning where the blame may lie WITHOUT KNOWING THE REASON FOR SUCH A DENIAL.

Various test, therapies, treatments, even medications all work together under a diagnosis basis -

Strokes and Heart Attacks are different - bound together by the overall heading of circulatory system.

Strokes = clot formation in circulatory system > gets to brain

Heart Attack or Heart muscle problem > problem with muscle itself

Could they be linked together, yes, but there would be other signs -

Find out WHY any physician recommended medical care is denied regardless of who is doing the denying. It is the WHY that is important.

Once you find out the whatever logic for the denial and still think you are being slighted, you can determine whether or not to file a complaint against a Medicare plan -

Medicare.gov - Filing A complaint About Your Quality of Care

alexiss12

Contributor ⭐⭐

I have had AARP supplemental (F) for years and never ever once have been denied Anything, Plus never ever see any biills! Only one time , due to the wrong coding by a doctor's billing dept, was there an issue (but once it was coded correctly it went right thru).

Perhaps an insurance agent needs to discuss the different types of insurance plans as remember Not all supplemental plans are the same, plus the difference in the advanatge plans( which needs prior approvals and won't approve everything!). My suggestiion is if you are a sickly person or one with many health issues the plans F and C are the best as no matter how many hospital stays , urgent care visits or "procedures" you have without any primary care doctor approvals first You never see bills! Yes these plans are more costly but you have the peace of mind of being able to see any doctor, in any state, without the worry of having to pay sometimes thousands after the fact!!

Also note that all Medicare insurance companies offer the Supplemental plans with very little difference in costs!

@GailL1 wrote:
@JimL612564 wrote:
I have to say it really really is as as bad as the customer reviews say. I just got denied a cardiac stress test that my doctor ordered after I have had a stroke. My doctor said there's nothing he can do about it. That's about as bad as it gets. United Healthcare is endangering my health. I have to sign up with another provider. Their revenues last year were $226.2 billion because of cost saving moves like this. DO NOT SIGN UP FOR UNITED HEALTHCARE!

They'll take your money and let you die before they'll give you even basic healthcare.
I'm guessing that you have a Medicare Advantage plan rather than traditional Medicare with a Medigap plan.

Just a denial of service is useless to you in assigning where the blame may lie WITHOUT KNOWING THE REASON FOR SUCH A DENIAL.

Various test, therapies, treatments, even medications all work together under a diagnosis basis -
Strokes and Heart Attacks are different - bound together by the overall heading of circulatory system.
Strokes = clot formation in circulatory system > gets to brain
Heart Attack or Heart muscle problem > problem with muscle itself
Could they be linked together, yes, but there would be other signs -

Find out WHY any physician recommended medical care is denied regardless of who is doing the denying. It is the WHY that is important.

Once you find out the whatever logic for the denial and still think you are being slighted, you can determine whether or not to file a complaint against a Medicare plan -
Medicare.gov - Filing A complaint About Your Quality of Care

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.

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

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.

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????

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.

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.

bearswamplady

Contributor ⭐

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

Sign up

Login with SSO

Login to the community

Login with SSO