United Healthcare AARP Prescription Plan 130% increase

[GiacomoM491699]

Our AARP Medicare Rx Walgreens from United Health Care (PDP) went from $35.20 to $80.40 in January 2024 - a 130% increase!!!

We only saw the increase when the credit card was charged in January 2024. Their notification was an email that said "your 2024 Annual Notice of Changes is ready for you to review" with no indication on the email of a significant premium change.

We believe this is clearly insufficient notice and misleading.

Our attempt to terminate the plan or reduce the charge was unsuccessful. We also contacted Medicare and found that there is nothing that can be done.

Our interaction with customer care at United Healthcare was very frustrating. We were sent around 5-6 departments and spent hours on the phone on this issue.

I realize now that Medicare regulations are very favorable to insurance companies and provide very little protection for the consumer.

I expect AARP to sponsor companies that provide better transparency and information to their members. And I ask AARP to be more demanding towards United Health Care, as the service they are providing us is clearly not serving the interest of the members and their communication is insufficient if not quite deceiving.

If others have experienced the same, please respond/comment on this (you can just say "same here" or "agree", so AARP can hear us.

[GailL1]

Did you check to see how much your plan actually changed with the increase in premium - 

Beneficiaries are urged to review their plans every year during open enrollment to make sure that the plan is still the best for them and their needs.

I can only guess but perhaps you opted for a paperless coverage - where you go online to review any changes or receive any notices - liken this to how some utilities go paperless.

There was a rash of news about 2024 Part D premiums escalating because of law changes - specifically because of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Medicare Prescription Drug program changes within it.

Medicare Part D coverage plans are by law required to give more so with giving more, they cost more.  In 2025 the amount of premium increases is gonna be restricted to a certain % therefore insurers are making adjustments for that as well as all the new coverages that is coming into play.,

CNBC 11/21/2023 - Retirees face significantly higher Medicare Part D prescription drug premiums in 2...

KFF.org 04/20/2023 - Changes to Medicare Part D in 2024 and 2025 Under the Inflation Reduction Act a...

AARP.org - 10/09/2023 - CMS Projects 2024 Part D Prescription Drug Premiums

DO start reviewing your plan every year during open enrollment - that’s why we have an open enrollment period for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug plans either standalone or as combined in a MAPD.

OpenEnrollment is October 15 - December 07 and policies go into effect on Jan 01.

[GiacomoM491699]

@GailL1 thanks for your comments.
Yes, I opted for paperless coverage, which does not mean I opted for more obscure communications. The email of paperless coverage could very well highlight the content of the communication, like your premium has changed/increased, while it just says: there is a new document for you to review on our website, under the third level of the account menu ....
Paperless is a cost advantage for the insurance company and not a license to limit, obscure or deflect information.

I believe AARP should advocate for clearer and more transparent information and communication from the services they sponsor. I feel misled by how the significant increase was not properly communicated.