# AARP Medicare Supplement Plan - Details Anyone?



## ShokWaveRider (Feb 17, 2018)

I am eligible for Medicare in January 2019 . :dance: ( At Least I think I should be Dancing) I am starting to look into Medicare Supplemental plans and have heard good things about the AARP Sponsored plans. I am in Florida. It is hard to get actual details unless you go ahead and actually apply. I can start to apply for Medicare in September/ November of this year.

I was wondering if anyone here actually has it and what some of the basic coverages are. I am looking for something as good as my ACA plan, which unlike some others opinions here has been simply outstanding for us. Low costs, Zero Deductible low Copays, low MAXOOP. Florida I think has good Rates, at least for the ACA. 

If anyone can share their AARP Medicare Suppliment pan coverages that would be great, along with premiums etc. I am concerned about Pre-Existing condition coverage etc., as I have a pacemaker replacement coming in the next couple of years.

(PS.: This is not an ACA discussion Please)

TIA


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## WhatInThe (Feb 20, 2018)

Copays, watch out for those copays especially if you have any issues that can lead to hospitalization. Also if you're weak, out of shape just for hospital visit sakes copays. I know people who were weak and out of shape had to get ambulance to take them to a hospital several times over the years that lead to multiple day hospital stays yet if they had walked into a doctor 90% could've been done outpatient. 

Also see what group your plan tells you to use. Sometimes those groups have their own discount plans or will get you a plan to cover co pays. There's paper work for financial eligibility but it might be worth it. Also make sure your plan has local facilities and practices on their list. Some plans dictate which labs you can use for blood work, x rays etc.


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## mathjak107 (Feb 23, 2018)

we are assuming you are talking medicare and a medigap supplement not an aarp medicare  advantage plan , correct ? we have a medigap high deductible f-plan . it has a 2k deductible on what medicare does not cover but it is 2k less than an f-plan . we  typically lay out 500-600 a year so we pocket the rest .

not only that but my i pay 93 a month for the supplement in nyc  and they pay for my gym which is 40.00 . it is an amazing deal for us.

if you are talking an aarp advantage plan , personally i wouldn't touch one .


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## Butterfly (Feb 25, 2018)

I have not heard anything good about United Health Care.


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## mathjak107 (Feb 26, 2018)

using them as a medicare supplement is fine . they have no say in anything because medicare is calling the shots and is in the drivers seat .

i would not take an advantage plan from them where they act as gate keepers and call the shots unlike medicare and a supplement.


we got a good look recently in to just why not . i described why in an earlier thread on the differences between the two ways of going .
personally i never want a for profit insurer in the drivers seat as they are  with any advantage plan . i always recommend if you can afford it you want a not for profit entity like medicare calling the shots .


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## Ken N Tx (Feb 26, 2018)

mathjak107 said:


> using them as a medicare supplement is fine . they have no say in anything because medicare is calling the shots and is in the drivers seat .
> 
> i would not take an advantage plan from them where they act as gate keepers and call the shots unlike medicare and a supplement.
> 
> personally i never want a for profit insurer in the drivers seat with any advantage plan . i always recommend if you can afford it you want a not for profit entity like medicare calling the shots .


The only problem I had with UHC was they raised our monthly premium $100 a month each after the first year!! I did not have any health issues that year!! I switched to Mutual of Omaha and have not paid a penny other than premiums been over 8 years with MoO.

They did the same thing with AARP auto insurance!!


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## mathjak107 (Feb 26, 2018)

uhc  can be a mother at times to deal with when they are the gate keepers as opposed to just a supplement to actual medicare .


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## Marie5656 (Oct 4, 2018)

Butterfly said:


> I have not heard anything good about United Health Care.



My husband is researching that one now. What negative have you heard?


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## Geezerette (Oct 4, 2018)

Get the Medicare publication for your area called Medicare and You, which gives brief specs on what plans are available where you live. If you have any providers you want to stay with, find out which plan includes them. 
Personally, I don't & wont touch anything with AARP name on it with the proverbial 10' pole. Their reason for existence is to make many $ off oldsters while trying to make them think they're helping them.


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## Ken N Tx (Oct 5, 2018)

Marie5656 said:


> My husband is researching that one now. What negative have you heard?


I had UHC Supplement Insurance when I first retired, good low premium. After one year, they raised it $100 a month!!! I also had AARP auto insurance , same thing after one year!!
I dropped both!!


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## mathjak107 (Oct 5, 2018)

most states have age based pricing on  supplements . you get increased as you age . that is on top of any other increases in costs . so increases at times can be quite a bit depending on insurer.

new york , my state is community based . we pay more than age based states day 1  but as we pass certain milestones we do not have age based increases .

it is a good idea to see if you live in an age based state or community based state


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## Butterfly (Oct 6, 2018)

Marie5656 said:


> My husband is researching that one now. What negative have you heard?



I have heard from people who had their Medicare supplement that they've had nothing but trouble with them in trying to get them to actually PAY for what they are supposed to and that their customer service is abysmal, if not non-existent.

I have also heard from a couple of friends/acquaintances who work in doctors' offices that it is like pulling teeth to get them to pay, get them to approve procedures, etc.  One of those offices has stopped accepting regular UHC health plans (they can't quit accepting medicare supplements, evidently, if they take other medicare patients, at least that is my understanding).

I personally would not use UHC.


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## mathjak107 (Oct 6, 2018)

Medicare Supplements are usually not a problem.advantage plans on the other hand can be real headaches at times


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## Marie5656 (Oct 6, 2018)

We have decided against it.  Still trying to find ways to fill the hole. He is going to apply for EPIC.  https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/epic/    The anagram is for Elderly Pharmacy Insurance Coverage.  Do people outside of New York have it?  The website is hard to decipher, and does not fully answer questions he has.  
He is paying outrageous sums for his two non generic drugs.  I want to call Epic next week to answer questions we have


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## Butterfly (Oct 7, 2018)

I have one non generic (and there is no generic drug out there).  I've researched high and low, and unfortunately, the cost of it is similar in every plan.  I also researched the discount cards and so on, but you can't use those if you have insurance.


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## mathjak107 (Oct 7, 2018)

when it comes to health insurance and long term care insurance -nothing is ever a problem--until it's a problem .


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