Silver Sneakers being droped by AARP recommended insurer

[ME19500407]

1. Everyone needs to understand that AARP is making a commision or a fee - whatever you want to call it - for every policy or item that is "sold" with tjhe AARP "brand."  

2. If you have a Supplememental Medicare plan - called a Medigap plan - NOT an Advantage Plan - you can change your plan at ANY time.  The "open enrollment" applies to people who are in a Medicare Advantage plan.  The ONLY possible issue is that underwriting may review your medical history.  

3. California has a rule that you can change plans in the 30 day period after your birthday without having underwriting review your medical history.  The rule is called the Guaranteed Issue.  I posted the actual legal citiation on this a couple of weeks ago.

4. Do NOT believe that anything is "a bargain" just because it is "branded" AARP.  I dropped my Hartford Homeowners policy this year because they wanted to raise the premium about $200!!!  I was able to save a lot by changing to Farmers'.

5. On United Healthcare, every plan F is the same!  The premium does vary.  Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield and I think Healthnet offer Plan F but they have also come out with a new plan - Innovative F.  It's idential to the Regular Plan F but offers vision and hearing benefits at no extra cost.  I'm looking at Anthem Blue Cross and the premium for the regular Plan F and for the Innovative F are BOTH less expensive than United Healthcare and I will have Silver Sneakers!!!

In other words - find an agent and check this stuff out!!!!!  Good luck! 

[gs33593622]

In case there's any doubt about this here is the letter from UHC that I received this morning.  Dated December 14th conveniently a week after open enrollment finished.  Neither my wife nor I saw the notification referred to in September.  Neither it seems did anyone else

[olblueiiii]

I was REALLY looking forward to using the Silver Sneakers benefit to get back in shape after having been laid up for the past 8 months. Come my birthday in June, I'll be looking for a company with the Silver Sneaker benefit. Too Bad, UHC.

[jmaracek2]

Agree.

I called AARP and all they said was call UHC. You would think AARP would be looking out for the senior membership.

I will be considering dropping AARP at next renewal.

[jmaracek2]

Same here.

[jmaracek2]

Agree... same experience.
I will be considering changing insurance and dropping AARP at next renew period.
AARP is supposed to be looking out for seniors, but failed us miserably. When I called AARP to complain, they told me to call UHC.

[c442902z]

Agree! Considered Silver Sneakers a reason to keep my expensive F Aarp United Healthcare supplement.. Silver Sneakers is being offered in Medicare Advantage plans by some companies.United Healthcare , I am disappointed. The alternatives you offer in my area are not geared to seniors. I am healthy and surely you want me to stay healthy. Bring Silver Sneakers back!

[GailL1]

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@wonsettler wrote:

. . . . . Wouldn't it be great if they could simply quote you a new monthly premium charge after underwriting so you could make a choice instead of just slapping you into a new plan with a much higher premium? 

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That 's why there is a Medigap Medicare Consumer protection rule to protect you ( your wife in this case ).  

If underwriting is required, that process has to be completed before the premium is known.  The protection is a 30-day look where you can go back to the previous Medigap policy.

Medicare.gov -Switching Medigap Policies

The insurer don't want to do the underwriting legwork unless they have some monetary assurance that there is a possible policy sale.  Be glad that the 30-day look is in place.

Personally, I would handle this switch back in writing but I have this thing with documentation to cover any potential problems.

[wonsettler]

I was told by insurance experts after telling them of health issues my wife has developed in the past 11+ years being on the UHC supplemental plan F that my wife had to remain at UHC. I called UHC and they recommended I change her plan from F to G but she would have to go through underwriting. I did this and was told that the premium for the new plan G would be lower. After suiting the paperwork to the underwriters I was informed that my wife was now on plan G but the premium ended up being 45% higher than her current expensive plan F. (230.xx per month and being increased to 249.xx per month in April 2019) So my attempt to save money turned into an increase from the current plan F premium of $230.xx monthly to $333.xx monthly for plan G plus the Part B deductible of $185.00 for next year. It took 2 calls to UHC to cancel the new Part G and  keep my wife on the Part F in the future. Wouldn't it be great if they could simply quote you a new monthly premium charge after underwriting so you could make a choice instead of just slapping you into a new plan with a much higher premium? 

[ls63763447]

You can still change if you have a supplemental plan.