United Health Care Medigap Plan N over 30% increase in 2 years.

[nicolilla]

  age 67 female.   Enrolled in 2023 , $84 a month 

    2024  $96 month . 2025  $113 a month

[GailL1]

@nicolilla 

What state are you in?

If you are getting a declining discount - part of your increase may be due to that rise.

Actually for many states, that's pretty good.

Look how much they are in New York which is a guaranteed issue (all the time) state.  That added risk really ups the premiums.  

Since UHC uses Community ratings all over the country - I'm betting your premiums are based on the community rating too.

COMPARISON OF YEAR 2025 COMMUNITY RATED
STANDARDIZED MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT MONTHLY PREMIUMS
(PREMIUMS IN EFFECT AS OF JANUARY 1, 2025)

Scroll down to get to Plan N and then UHC.

This will probably make you feel better about your current premiums.

That's the thing about health care cost, they keep rising (medical inflation) and usage also plays a big part in Medigap rates and we know Medicare beneficiaries use their benefits especially in Original Medicare where there is nothing there that makes them even think about using it as often as they need and sometimes want.  

[TRL1111]

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@GailL1 wrote:

Look how much they are in New York which is a guaranteed issue (all the time) state.  That added risk really ups the premiums.  

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New York is an unfair comparison to most states.  As you noted, it's guaranteed issue, which really jacks up premiums.  But it's also truly community rated (not the pseudo-community-rated AARP/UHC plans), which means it's particularly expensive for younger people like the OP, who pay exactly the same as a 99-year-old would.  

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@GailL1 wrote:

That's the thing about health care cost, they keep rising (medical inflation) and usage also plays a big part in Medigap rates and we know Medicare beneficiaries use their benefits especially in Original Medicare where there is nothing there that makes them even think about using it as often as they need and sometimes want.  

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But one of the selling points of Plan Ns is that people do have skin in the game, because they have to pay copays when they see a provider.  The thinking is that because of that, people who have a low amount of medical care will choose Plan N, and a pool of healthier people will have lower usage than a pool of unhealthy people.  Plus the copay might provide an incentive not to seek medical care in marginal cases.

The OP's plan N has had a 15% increase for both renewals.  That does seem high for Plan N, and far exceeds the declining discount for the pseudo-community-rated AARP/UHC plans.  If I were the OP, I'd be shopping around.  For all we know, the OP is in a state with a birthday rule or even a guaranteed-issue state, and could easily switch plans.  Or maybe she's relatively healthy and can pass underwriting.    

FWIW, I'm the OP's age and have an AARP/UHC Plan G in Texas.  If I got AARP/UHC's plan N, it would save me only $20/month.  And I really would save that because I almost never go to the doctor, but I prefer the more comprehensive coverage I get with my Plan G.  And I'm sticking with AARP/UHC only because of Renew Active.  Otherwise, I'd be shopping around myself.

[Winter2025VA]

➡️  UPDATE FRIDAY 3/7/25 - I asked & this post was MOVED into correct forum. Thank you AARP!!!  👏

➡️  THURSDAY 3/6/25. @GailL1 , I guess the NEW AARP Moderator does NOT move these Medicare Posts into the correct forum [Medicare Forum]. Missing the Moderator we had for years. Oh well...

[GailL1]

@Winter2025VA 

They might if you ask them - at least they use to - but I'm tired of asking.