Contributor ⭐

United Healthcare

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
December 9, 2024
17 replies
9560 views

I recently learned that United Healthcare had the highest rate of denials for claims of the major players in the industry. Do you know this at AARP and if so, why would you endorse them? Price for healthcare should not be the only consideration which I would think you have checked but now I wonder if you check denial rates or other factors involved in purchasing this insurance.

My membership is up for renewal and I'm very reluctant to renew considering this? Could you please respond? Tom Bolonchuk

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MichaelD420616

Contributor ⭐

And this should be a AARP top priority. Given the membership of AARP. HELLO??

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wd3685

Contributor ⭐

I I have been the victim of these very same claims denials. I joined AARP United Health Care Medicare Advantage Plan as of 9/1/24 when I was no longer eligible to stay with my wife's plan when she retired. The claim denials are unfounded and the customer service advocates who supposedly are there to help you are a joke. I have been placed on hold for more than two hours while an "advocate" tells me they need to "escalate" my case to someone higher up. When they can't get a higher up on the line, I am told I will receive a call back which never happened after three attempts. Beyond frustrated and wondering what I'm paying for. AARP - are you listening here?!

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MichaelD420616

Contributor ⭐

wonder if others who have the UHC advantage plan had the dental taken out of the 2025 unless you pay an additional $59.00? Sneeky.. first year included. 2cd year slide in an upcharge.

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gs4506

Contributor ⭐

There are more issues that AARP customers are facing related to their UHC prescription plan. I have a tier 4 drug that I take daily and the medication can't be interrupted. In 2024 I have been able to get a 3 month supply to avoid any interruptions. Like many retirees I travel a great deal and the 3 month supply avoids interruption in taking my medication. After the end of the enrollment period UHC notifies me that I can no longer get a 3 month supply and have to get the medication monthly. Please note that I'm notified of this after I have the option to select another insurance option. Another example of change in UHC policy that inconveniences AARP customers. It doesn't appear that these policies are being made by clinicians (doctors and pharmacists) but from individuals who are solely looking to cut costs for UHC to increase their already record profits. UHC customer service was less than helpful when brought to their attention. They are unable to tell you who makes these decisions or why the decision was made.

Glenn Sheffield

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MichaelD420616

Contributor ⭐

Yup, The same thing happened to my wife. same MO. They sent the notice of no longer going to provide a prescription drug. the mail arrived on the day after open enrollment ended.. Go Figure.. Seems pretty underhanded to me.

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AARPConsumerCare

Community Champion ⭐

We're sorry to hear United Healthcare will no longer provide a prescription to your wife, @MichaelD420616. We are listening and would like to get more details about this. Please visit https://help.aarp.org/s/article/contact-aarp to chat, text, or speak with a representative who can get you in touch with our Member Relations team. - Diana G.

GailL1

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

@ThomasB614634

AARP does not endorse any of the branded products to which they get a royalty payment for the use of their name. In fact quite the opposite based on the disclosures which they make on these products. Read the small print. I think people think this because it may be implied but the AARP is not giveing them the seal of their approval.

There is always a way to appeal a denial and most of those that are appealed are approved - well, 80% of them.

Medicare, the program, supports utilization management as a way to prevent unnecessary medical care. Or care that is not in the best practices realm.

Everybody should get the Medicare plan that suits their needs the best. Be that providers in a network or a medication on the formulary - but then if something happens the doc and the beneficiary have to work within the system to present their appeal and get coverage if it represents best practices.

I haven been a member of AARP since about 2010 - but I am a frequent poster on this social media platform as well as others. I try to teach people about Social Security, Supplemental Security Income and Medicare - since I am really, really old and do a ton of reading on all these subjects including what government has proposed for them. (I said government, not party).

IT‘S ALWAYS SOMETHING . . . . .. . . . Roseanne Roseannadanna

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michaela667402

Contributor ⭐⭐

I believe "read the small print" is disingenuous". AARP throws its weight, and seniors depend on that. Perhaps small print is not appropriate

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js62231179

Contributor ⭐

With 30 million AARP members, AARP should have vetted and be supporting the most humane and equitable health care insurance platform, not one with almost 30% in service denials. I will be leaving United Healthcare in the next round of Medicare signups. Disgusted!

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DianaR709797

Contributor ⭐

I too will leave AARP United Healthcare. They took away the one gym i go to, Lifetime Fitness ( in April). No notice and now i can’t switch plans until OCT. Talk about unfair and bait and switch. Why do this is April after the time period? I will never trust AARP again. it is all about money for them to support a supplemental that is this bad. If they were really concerned about our health, fitness should be the most important but instead, they took away all the good programs that provided strength and flexibility .

i am so angry about this and the unfairness of doing it in April. who wants to ban with me to inform everyone what a rip off this company is!!!

GailL1

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

@DianaR709797

Gym membership is an auxiliary benefit which is not covered by any law that they have to give it to you. Kind of like a loss leader - it’s the carrot that attracted the bunny to the plan.

That is not a good way to judge your health care benefits because gym coverage in an AARP UHC Medicare Advantage plan isn’t gonna be much use to you when you might have to have an extreme and costly medical procedure or be on a medication that isn’t in their formulary.

Sure getting exercise is good for you but a gym is not the only way to get it. Fitness is very important but it isn’t what many that are sick or injured want to pay for when they need other health care to live,

It isn’t unfairness - it is priorities and thus far gym memberships or even physical fitness is not something that Medicare pays for under any type plan.

IT‘S ALWAYS SOMETHING . . . . .. . . . Roseanne Roseannadanna

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