United Healthcare Senate Panel

[jt68799631]

I've been following the complaints about the above-average denials for aftercare, especially the elderly (the Senate issued a scathing report on this). I'm considering AARP Gap Insurance, but now I don't know.

[dn1740]

Supplemental N Plan was promising, but be wary of sales agreeing to an effective date.  We signed up with an agreed upon start date, but 12 phone calls, 5 emails and an $11,400 bill later, it took effect two months after the agreed upon start date.  Make sure you stay on top of the company if you want the service they agreed upon.

[DuaneS431447]

DO NOT buy UHC Insurance, if you can, drop UHC. UHC Stocks are dropping from the Government anti-trust investigation hidden from the shareholders while the CEO, possibly their Board too selling all their own shares first. Millions of investor dollars lost, but not the UHC Leaders. The Anti-trust investigation claims that UHC has increased denials to the elderly to increase revenues, possibly since 2021. The CEO was shot by a lone Gunman, in Manhatten, supposedly had bullets etched with the words "DENY" and "DELAY". Perhaps now our AARP Leaders might consider stopping having their name associated with UHC and dropping all UHC contacts, possibly AARP can file a lawsuit against UHC for cheating AARP members

[JacquelineS271419]

Gosh, I just came in here to see about AARP's position on what is currently in the news.

I follow a doctor on social media that humorously creates awareness of medical concerns and often pokes at United Healthcare.  I shrugged it off as AARP recommended my coverage.  Now I don't know...

[jt68799631]

The “point” is that Medicare Supplement insurers lure people in with good rates and then start taking away all the extras and raising premiums. It's near impossible to change Gap insurers if you have the misfortune of getting dx with a significant health issue. And, yes, we all know about prior authorization. The “point” is that United Healthcare is among those with a high rate of denial, especially for skilled nursing care and subsequent to us oldies suffering strokes, per news reports of the recent fatal shooting of UHC CEO—though some sources cite worse offenders than UHC (https://leadingage.org/analysis-senate-report-on-ma-plans-reveals-troubling-data/)

AARP makes clear that its insurance partners aren’t to be equated with AARP, but insurers only want to access the AARP brand because people can be swayed by brands.

[TRL1111]

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@jt68799631 wrote:

The “point” is that Medicare Supplement insurers lure people in with good rates and then start taking away all the extras and raising premiums. It's near impossible to change Gap insurers if you have the misfortune of getting dx with a significant health issue. And, yes, we all know about prior authorization. The “point” is that United Healthcare is among those with a high rate of denial,

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You appear to be confused.  Supplements (gap insurance) can't and don't make any decisions on their own.  If Medicare pays its 80%, the supplement pays its 20%, period. It's automatic, and mandatory.  Supplements have absolutely no say over what care its policyholders get.  None.  Zero.  Supplements can't deny anything.

There is no pre-authorization by Medicare supplement companies, ever.

Now, Advantage plans?  Yes.  They are managed care, and therefore can deny approval for procedures and care. 

There's a reason supplements cost more than Advantage plans:  Supplements are an open checkbook for whatever my doctor and I decide is appropriate care for me, and the supplement has no say over it at all.  But if someone joins an Advantage plan, they agree to let the insurance company have a say over their care, in exchange for a lower premium.  And managing costs by managing care (and denying car) is how Advantage plans make money.

[DuaneS431447]

If everyone was allowed to buy a medicare supplement plan, that would be great. Not every state is the same. Some states restrict the disabled on Disability, the Thus the Disabled are not allowed to buy supplemental plans in my state till they retire.  Advantage plans are all that remain. Once conditions have been diagnosed, if they are allowed to be diagnosed, then comes the delay, delay and deny. The insurer has no intention of making anything easy, including generic mainenance drugs. If a person ages enough to then be converted from SSDI to SSI, then that person discovers that there are so many conditions found that supplement plans will not be written by the Insurance company. In my case, I needed to get two surgeries and lose weight, then my plan might have been only $800/month more than Medicare(no dental or vision). The surgeries I needed were delay, delay, denied, delay, delay, denied, delay delay, approved only for the ONLY surgical center, and they wouldn't take my name brand insurance, no matter what the insurer offered. So only two choices remain. Medicare only or Advantage Plans. Either you have enough to insure yourself, or you have the thrill of Delay, Delay, Deny, fight, fight, fight for the rest of your shorter life. 

[GailL1]

What’s your point?  Are you pleased with your coverage or not?  If not, pick another.

Came back to edit and add:

AARP.org - 12/11/2023 - What is prior authorization in Medicare?