Recent premium increase for United Healthcare coverages

[jphorenci]

I am absolutely appalled at the just announced price increases for United Healthcare coverage. The increase in RX (over 90%) announced during the last open enrollment was enough force me to make a change and now the supplemental health coverage increase (22%) is astounding. As their primary selling agent, you should anticipate my changing to another, more affordable carrier at my first opportunity and hopefully a boatload of others doing the same. Shameful, unjustified, heartless, and ridiculous. Shame on both you and United Healthcare.  

[SereneSeagull]

@jphorenci I believe @GailL1 to be a person who cares here, your comments are out of line.  

[jphorenci]

And I will continue to call out anyone who defends these out outrageous increases. The very dismissive just change plans attitude is not someone who cares and is out of line as far as I'm concerned. 

[GailL1]

@jphorenci 

Are you kiddin’ me?  Changing plans is the option that is available - even if they change to a Medicare Advantage plan.

They need to know about their options.  They can go to their state’s SHIP office and get one-on-one counseling on what action options they have within their state.  

So they don’t have to learn it on their own to make a decision, they can learn where to get help from their state.  In fact, they even have a website to locate the office in their state.  

Edited to add the link:  State Health Insurance Assistance Programs - State locator

If they can’t figure out how to get some direction, they may need to appoint a person who can act for them in this respect - maybe even in other respects too.

[GailL1]

@jphorenci 

Then go to your state and ask them why they approved the increases.  They will tell you pretty much what I have told you - the increases are justified (for all companies) based on -

• USAGE
• RISK
• INFLATION
• and the chosen or legislated rating method used by their insurers 

I am sorry that so many seniors have a hard time understanding Medicare (all of it) and making decisions for themselves and need help in determining their best course of action.  Perhaps that is why EVERY state has a SHIP office to help them - (State Health Insurance Assistance Program)  - Counselors are there to advise them.  But of course, the other solution is a Medicare Advantage plan. 

[CBtoo]

Not to mention that in many states you have to pass medical underwriting to switch medigap plans and in the state that you do not have to deal with medical underwriting to change often the fees are higher because those plans have people with more medical problems in them. In those states if their doctors are in network and they rarely go to the doctor an advantage plan is cheaper when they have more issues a medigap is usually cheaper as usually premiums plus out of pocket max in a supplement is less than copays with a much higher maximum out of pocket. In the state I am in (which has not yet announced the higher premiums (but they go into effect June 1 so I am presuming they will be out May 1) which is $14,000 and lose change. The cheapest is just under $5000.

What this means for states where you don't have to pass medical underwriting is that supplement premiums are generally higher than in states that require you to pass medical underwriting because there are more expensive patients in the supplements.

[GailL1]

@CBtoo 

That is all true but seniors can always check to see how a change in plans or insurers would affect them.  

I know many seniors that are now switching to the High Deductible Plan G - but if I am not mistaken in all states, AARP/UHC Medigap do NOT even offer this premium savings plan.  

Plan N premiums are also on the rise - since seniors are also switching to it.  But that isn’t gonna help if premiums keep going up on this plan.  

How many Medicare beneficiaries (over and under age 65) even know what their state laws are when it comes to Medigap plans and their options? 

[CBtoo]

Well on the uhc website it says they offer a high deductible G.

They also offer "regular" G that has the extras like a gym membership, a "regular" G without the extras (that is not in all states yet, they are introducing it a handful of states a year), a "Select" G that requires you to uses in network and has a higher deductible (that is not available in my state so again that must only be in some states). 

[TRL1111]

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@CBtoo wrote:

a "regular" G without the extras (that is not in all states yet, they are introducing it a handful of states a year)

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Actually, they introduced the Plan G without wellness extras in Texas about 4 or 5 years ago and they've already stopped offering it to new people, so I'm not sure they'll be rolling it out to other states. 

And the people who jumped to the one without wellness extras to save a few bucks might be stuck in a plan with a closed book because Texas doesn't prohibit underwriting to switch Medigap plans.

[SereneSeagull]

Lol @jphorenci 

[GailL1]

@BruceW844572 

If you are talking about UHC - you do understand that the CEO is over ALL parts of their business 

Employer Coverage, Individual coverage (if they do that IDK), Medicare Advantage coverage, Medigap coverage and more . . . . 

Increases in Medicare plans over the last several years has also been due to legislative changes in the Rx program by the Inflation Reduction Act.

Medigap premium increases are approved at the state level - they are figured on plan usage, medical inflation and risk assessment.  

Many health policies have a specific % (75 % - 85%) that have to be paid out in claims and how much has to be set aside as a reserve in case there is some huge influx of claims and what remains pays for Administration and any profit.  

It is all determined by actuarial data and thus they don’t just pull numbers out of the air.  

Also the more RISK you are willing to take for your own care, the lower your premiums will be for this higher risk policy. 

Like compare a Medigap Plan G and a High Deductible Plan G - one is several hundreds of dollars a month, the other is less than $ 100 in some states less than $ 50

[VictoriaW166426]

My notice came today…but they have some crazy math going on.  I’m currently paying 138.14 per month and they’re raising it to 198.34 and saying it is a 15.5% increase stating this just applies to the base rate and does not include discounts (???). 60.20 more a month is ALOT more than 15.5%!!! Their explanation that it’s due to rising healthcare costs and updates to Medicare deductibles and reimbursement is BS.  They only pay 20% of what Medicare ALLOWS not what the provider charges and don’t pay the deductible anyway on part G.  Ridiculous

[CBtoo]

You may or may not be caught with the annual reduction in your age related discount. If you only have one increase a year then they both hit at the same time. If you have two premium increases then they are separate. It depends on when you signed up for it to be effective. Is is just "bad luck" if they happen to coincide. 

[GailL1]

@CBtoo 

Wonder how many seniors that have a AARP/UHC Medigap plan with this provision even know it is there? Much less when it took effect when they 1st signed up. 

[CBtoo]

Well if they don't read the paperwork nor the letters that come announcing the price increases and call to ask if they don't understand why there are two increases a year (except in the one case where they are on the same month due the month you had it in effect) that is on them and not the insurance company. If they are too cognitively impaired to deal with it hopefully someone else is.

And I know when I signed up (not through an agent) I was informed about the age related discounts. You'd hope an agent, if they used one, would explain their fee/discount structure.

[blazingsword]

You are fortunate that is all that you are paying. Mine went up to $50.00 per month, and as of June 2026 will be $468.00.

[DavidM280677]

Hi Victoria,

I too have had a 41% increase in my premiums -- we're in OH.  Looks like yours is more like 43.58%.  This was across the board coupled with (depending on your age right now) 3% reduction starting at age 68, of the initial discount you received from UHC when you first signed up.

My wife an I are going to check rates again, but I'm afraid that we are going to be "stuck" paying these increases.  Sad to say. UHC may be the best priced again...

[CBtoo]

If people live in a state where you can change your medigap/supplement without medical underwriting the premiums are rising faster than in other states. This is because many use an advantage plan while they are healthy because it is cheaper. Then when they have more things wrong with them they switch to a supplement because the combined premium, medicare B deductible (only those old enough to have F don't pay that if and only if they choose F), and maximum out of pocket (ranging from nothing - F, only the B deductible - G, and it goes up from there for the other supplements) is cheaper than the maximum out of pocket on all advantage plans, You usually don't even have to hit the advantage plan max out of pocket for the supplements to be cheaper. Unfortunately it usually means the people who have supplements are "sicker" and so that drives prices up.

In states where you can't switch unless you pass medical underwriting the supplement group generally isn't "sicker" and so in those states the prices and increases are lower.

[TRL1111]

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@CBtoo wrote:

If people live in a state where you can change your medigap/supplement without medical underwriting the premiums are rising faster than in other states. This is because many use an advantage plan while they are healthy because it is cheaper. Then when they have more things wrong with them they switch to a supplement 

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I think you're talking about birthday rule states, because one of the knocks on the birthday rule is that it will lead to higher premium prices.

But it sounds like you're confused about how it works, because the birthday rule applies only to switching Medigap supplements--you have to already have a Medigap supplement to use the birthday rule to switch to another Medigap supplement without underwriting. It doesn't apply to Advantage members.  

There are a couple of states that have year-round guaranteed issue rights, but only a couple. I suppose you might be talking about those, but that should be made clear because they're definite outliers.

The bottom line is that in all but a couple of states, Advantage members who get sick and would prefer to have Original Medicare and Medigap supplement can't do so unless they can pass underwriting, whether they're in a birthday rule state or not.  

[CBtoo]

Supplements, not advantage plans, were what was being discussed and how the rates are going up. And no, I am not confused.

I am taking about more than birthday rule states (and the rules in those states aren't identical as states determine the rules for that) as there are an assortment of rules out there that vary between states that allow people to change their supplement once a year, and in some states switch from an advantage plan to a supplement without underwriting, the birthday rule is only one of them. 

In fact a new state law was passed in MN where people can change to a supplement or between supplements when they are between the ages of 65-70. After that they need to pass medical underwriting.

The rates are generally higher in states that allow people to change into supplements as the percentage of sick people migrate to supplements (from advantage plans) when their medical expenses start to rise when they are using more medical services (the out of pocket in advantage plans in my state range from $4800-14,200 and supps premium plus out of pocket is way lower).

Medical underwriting was instituted to prevent people using advantage plans when they hardly used medical services as then they would save a lot of money, and they'd switch to supps as those would be cheaper when they were much sicker. Medical underwriting prevents that if it is required, 

If there was no underwriting the percentage of "expensive" people in supplements would be higher, thus costs would go up to the insurance companies thus premiums would rise. Right now premiums are higher in states that allow people to switch to supplements (outside of their original sign up or the special, limited rules fro your first advantage plan sign up) because of that.

[TRL1111]

You're the one who brought up switching from Advantage to a Medigap supplement without underwriting, without noting that that's possible only in a couple of states. The vast majority of people can't switch from Advantage to a Medigap supplement without underwriting.

Furthermore, as far as I know the states that allow switching from an Advantage plan to a supplement without underwriting have community pricing on their supplements, so you can't really attribute higher premiums to the ability to switch because there's another variable.

[CBtoo]

Becker's (a credible source of information) mentioned this today so two more states although these are medigap to medigap. 

And there is solid research that, in fact, the rates do go up in Birthday and similar rates regardless of the reason,

"West Virginia and New Mexico are both launching Medigap “birthday rules” within the next year.

Federal law does not include ongoing protections for beneficiaries who want to switch Medicare supplement coverage beyond the established one-time, six-month window. However, these state laws permit a 60-day (or possibly longer, in New Mexico) Medigap open enrollment period that falls around the beneficiary’s birthday each year. Beneficiaries would not be subject to medical underwriting based on health status if they switched plans during this time.

“By expanding guaranteed issue opportunities, SB 21 would help level the playing field, promote more balanced risk pools, and support a more stable and competitive Medicare supplement market with increased coverage options for beneficiaries,” a February 2026 document from New Mexico Aging Services said. The law is expected to support over 70,000 people across the state.

In West Virginia, the guaranteed issue right applies only to those who have continuously held their Medicare supplement policy for at least 24 months, as of the replacement’s effective date. West Virginia beneficiaries can only switch to a plan from the same or an affiliated insurer, unless comparable coverage is unavailable. Beneficiaries also gain a guaranteed issue right after losing Medicaid eligibility. West Virginia’s state insurance commissioner will report on premium trends annually, as well.

West Virginia and New Mexico’s laws will go into effect June 11, 2026, and Jan. 1, 2027, respectively. "

Source:https://www.beckerspayer.com/policy-updates/west-virginia-new-mexico-to-roll-out-medigap-birthday-ru...

++++++++++

And here is one article that documents prices do go up (although it is not the peer reviewed piece of reach I was talking about).

"What Is the Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Birthday Rule—and Why It May Hurt More Than Help?

The Medicare Supplement Birthday Rule, or Medigap Birthday Rule, is a state-level policy that allows Medicare beneficiaries to change their Medigap plan annually around their birthday without medical underwriting. While intended to help those with pre-existing conditions access new coverage, the rule often leads to unintended negative consequences, including increased premiums and reduced plan availability. These rules, now active in several states like California, Oregon, and Idaho, may seem consumer-friendly on the surface but are ultimately a regulatory misstep that disrupts pricing stability.

According to MedigapSeminars.org, the Birthday Rule backfires by forcing insurers to accept applicants without assessing health risk, which drives up costs for all enrollees. As premiums rise, some consumers are priced out of Medigap entirely and pushed into less suitable Medicare Advantage plans. Additionally, insurers are exiting states with birthday rules, and brokers are increasingly uncompensated—limiting consumer access to guidance. The article warns that well-meaning state legislation is inadvertently harming the very people it aims to protect and proposes a more targeted solution that better balances access with sustainability."

https://medigapseminars.org/medicare-supplement-birthday-rule/

[CBtoo]

These states, last I knew, allowed switching from an advantage plan to a supplement with no medical underwriting: CT, MA, NY, VT

And most community rated risk plans give younger people discounts. When they are much older they will pay less than age attained or age signed up

There is research that documents that premiums are higher when medical underwriting is not required to switch (not talking about at initial sign up nor the initial advantage sign up and then switch in the "special" time frame. The reason given is that people with more expensive health needs switch in no underwriting circumstances when it becomes cheaper to have a supplement OR when their special medical needs requires them to get care outside of their advantage plan network (for example MD Anderson Cancer Center).

[TRL1111]

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@CBtoo wrote:

These states, last I knew, allowed switching from an advantage plan to a supplement with no medical underwriting: CT, MA, NY, VT

And most community rated risk plans give younger people discounts.

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AARP/UHC is the only one I know of that does the discount thing.  The four states you mentioned have community pricing, and the premium is the same for a given plan regardless of whether the person is 65 or 95.  You can see for yourself by using the plan finder at Medicare.gov and entering various ages--the premium is always the same.

Also, Vermont does allow medical underwriting for Medigap supplements.  Last year a bunch of Advantage plans were discontinued, and people who had those plans had guaranteed-issue rights for a supplement, but that's the same as in every state.  If someone in Vermont is on an Advantage plan that is still being offered, they can't get a supplement without medical underwriting.

[MitchellB914806]

This is very close to the 40% premium increase they just notified me of.  The fact is that they increase premiums based on your age despite misleading claims on the Medicare.gov site.

[GailL1]

@VictoriaW166426 

Read your plan - it should describe any enrollment declining discount that you are getting and that is what they seem to be saying to you.’

When you 1st signed up for the UHC Medigap plan, they gave you what they call a declining enrollment discount.  It whole enrollment discount stays in effect for a few years, then the discount starts declining, so your premiums rise because of this as well as the normal increases for the overall plan. This is in addition to any premium increase due to risk loss, usage or medical inflation.  

Medigap insurance is really not health insurance.  The make NO health care decisions - their concept is simple, IF Mediare pays, they pay what you would have had to pay based on the lettered plan that you chose.  I believe you said plan G.  

Pure and simple, Medigap plans are financial protection insurance used with Original Medicare because OG Medicare has NO limit to it’s out of pocket cost.  A Medigap policy will protect you from any financially catastrophic medical event under OG Medicare. 

Medigap plan premiums rise with medical inflation, but moreso, they rise with usage and also from the risk loss that they have within a state who have loosened their laws of guaranteed issue rights without underwriting.  I do not know if you live in one of these states but if you do, that is also a factor of premium increases.  This means that a state will allow Medicare beneficiaries who have health conditions, sometimes extreme health conditions, to switch Medigap plans without underwriting.  So for this reason, premiums in these states are usually higher than in states that do not allow switching plans without underwriting.

Of course, you aren’t forced to have a Medigap plan and there are many insurers in most areas of the country and all the lettered plans have the exact same benefits since benefit design is governed by federal law.  If you can pass underwriting OR if you live in a state that allows some type of switching plans - insurers or plans - then you can pick a plan that is less in premiums - but premiums will rise there too - better or worse.

Baby boomers continue to retire - about 10,000 a day until about 2030 - they will most all be on Medicare and many will pick OG Medicare and a Medigap - probably plan G and they will begin to use it - some have stored up their health care until they get on Medicare and some will experience increase in use as they age - so cost will continue to rise with USAGE.  

[Skyhookt]

A 40% increase in premium for a type G supplement plan upon completing the first year of enrollment cannot be explained by the 3% per annum decline in the age-based discount. It can only be explained by a first-year-only 'new business' teaser rate expiring. Is anyone here aware of such a 'new business' discount? If it exists, where can I find it documented in any material provided before signing up?

[CBtoo]

From what you are saying it sounds like they haven't subtracted the discounted amount from that yet. As a result you should be paying less (presuming I am correct). 

If you use someone who accepts medicare and agrees to accept Medicare's reimbursement rate (as most providers do) then that shouldn't be an issue (eg the added amount).

[ElzbietaK386890]

 We live in Chicago and started on UHC Medigap plan G in 2023. The premiums, before discount, rose consistently: 2024-5%, 2025-13.50%, 2026-16.26% and 2027-35.01%.

This last increase is outrageous !

How the AARP, can in good faith recommend this plan to its members? UHC plans are Community types, so the increase should apply to all members equally. I thought that this will stop large increases, because so many people will be affected that AARP would advocate for us.    

 Do we have any better options?

[jo85336578]

I too am alarmed at the huge increase in my 2027 announced monthly preminums for AARP UHC Plan G. over 35% increase in North Carolina.I wonder how much AARP / UHC Plan N premiums will rise. I called the N.C. Commissioner of Insurance and asked if it was unusual for a monthly Medigap premium to rise by 35% in one year and their answer was "No." I was shocked. 

Have any of you found a website that shows 2027 Medigap premiums? Medicare.gov does a good job of showing current rates but not recently announced other insurance companies' 2027 Medigap premiums.

[CandaceS254392]

I am in Ohio,  and mine is community based not age attained, (plan G). My husband and I have a 41% increase starting in June of this year.  Ridiculous.  AARP should move on from United health care.  I will be looking around as well.