AARP Online Community and Discussion Forums - UHC raises Medigap rates again in June 2025, then ...

s183685s · ‎05-05-2025

Just got notice from UHC on new rates starting in June '25 and Oct '25,TWICE this year again, like previous years. June increase is $18, for next 4 months. Oct increase is another $7.60, till May 2026.

The arguments/concerns posted by TimS766530 Contributor in 10-2024 still remain RELEVANT.

I'll be exploring other options for Medigap, as I hardly ever use the UHC policy I have now. Why enrich the C-suite at UHC?

TRL1111 · ‎05-06-2025

@s183685s wrote:
Just got notice from UHC on new rates starting in June '25 and Oct '25,TWICE this year again, like previous years. June increase is $18, for next 4 months. Oct increase is another $7.60, till May 2026.

Let me guess...is your birthday in October?

Every AARP/UHC supplement that is community rated but offers a discount based on age will have two premium increases every year.

One increase applies to everyone who has that plan and typically happens in the middle of the year --mine takes effect in July and apparently yours takes effect in June.

The other increase takes effect in people's birthday month, and accounts for the age-related discount that goes down as you age. If a discount goes down, that means the premium goes up.

The premium increase in people's birthday months in particular should be no surprise, but people seem to forget that when they sign up, there's a schedule that shows the amount of discount at every age, and it goes down every year until it's eventually zero, at which point their premium increases will be only the mid-year ones that everyone with that plan has, regardless of their age.

s183685s · ‎05-06-2025

My birthday month is February

TRL1111 · ‎05-06-2025

@s183685s wrote:
My birthday month is February

And you're not seeing premium increases in February?

Shoot. I thought I had cracked the code on AARP/UHC's premium scheme because my premium increases are in May (my birth month) and July (annual increase).

There was also an increase in November of my first year on Medicare, but I noticed my plan had a six-month guarantee that the premium wouldn't go up, and this was six months from the date I signed up so I assumed it was the usual July increase but delayed a little, until the six-month guarantee expired. So I really am trying to understand how it works.

But increases in June and October for someone with a February birth month doesn't fit this. Drat.

Oh well...the bottom line is that everyone on an AARP/UHC plan that is community-rated with an age-related discount that declines over time should expect two premium increases every year--one that is for everyone with the plan and a separate one that is due to becoming a year older and having the discount go down (until the discount goes away entirely).

Or, if someone's birth month is the same month as the annual increase--I guess they'll get just one increase, but will it be broken down into the two components? Argh.

I swear, if my Renew Active membership wasn't important to me, I'd drop AARP/UHC in a heartbeat just because I don't like having, much less buying, anything I can't understand. They're making a killing off me and that really bugs me.

ETA: Actually, I should be thrilled they're making a killing off me because that means I'm healthy and require medical care only very occasionally. But I can't quite get there. 😀