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AARP insurance is a total rip-off. I recently had to file a lawsuit to just get what they should have given me from The Hartford/AARP renters insurance. And, when I looked for a replacement, I was able to get more coverage for less than half what AARP/The Hartford had been charging me.
AARP is a total rip-off, only about profits, and definitely not the cheapest option, or the option with decent customer service.
My advice is to keep shopping, to put it mildly.
And, don't waste any money on a AARP membership, which is just another way for them to get your money, and rip you off.
Did you shop around for the best rates? Did you understand your policy terms?
All insurance companies are in business to make profits.
Does anyone use a Medicare Advamtage plan to cover the gap ? I use a UHC Advantage PPO Plan, only runs $51 per month deducted from my pension check. Thank the Good Lord I don't need much doctorin' but it covers pretty much everything.
Called about the free Silver Sneakers with my AARP UHC supplement. It seems to be related to the state in which you are located. They said to check back in January to see if my state is still on the list. Will do that!
Does anyone use a Medicare Advantage plan to cover the gap ?
You either have traditional Medicare + a Part D policy, and then an extra Supplement plan if you want, OR you have an Advantage plan. It's an either/or thing on the consumer end.
Technically the Advantage plans are just a bundling of the three separate Medicare coverages (Part A, Part B, and Part D) under a single premium and with the difference that once the basic coverages are factored in, the bells and whistles (and restrictions) are up to the Advantage plan's insurance carrier.
In other words someone wouldn't be able to enroll in traditional Medicare and then "add" an Advantage plan on top of it.
Out of curiosity I looked in the back of the new 2019 Medicare book that came recently, to see what the UHC Advantage PPO plans in my area cover (not that I'd ever get one myself.) There are some pretty noticeable copays, particularly in chemo drugs. My friend who had cancer while on an Advantage plan could not afford the 40% copays for all of her chemo treatments. She paid the first few, borrowed from family members for the next few, and then simply didn't get the last two infusions because the money just wasn't there for the copays.
After treatment she switched to traditional Medicare because of all the 'serious' stuff that her $50/month Advantage plan didn't cover. She was terrified of needing more treatment (her cancer was aggressive) in the future and running into the same lack of coverage.
Like mathjak said: Advantage plans are fine until they're not.
oooh there can be huge differences between advantage plans and medicare . on the surface they appear the same but they are from the same as you run in to various situations .
the biggest being that you can never prove what medicare would have covered since you don't have medicare when a procedure gets reviewed by a for profit insurer and they deny you .
we have a friend who learned the hard way that a for profit insurer is not the same as dealing with not for profit medicare when it comes to approvals for certain procedures ..
using advantage plans which are ppo's can also be minefield filled with charges you did not count on .
Advantage plans are being aggressively pushed by insurers for this coming open enrollment. All that glitters just isn't gold. Cheapness can prove to be very expensive in the long run!
Years ago I looked into getting one for my mom. I believe it was actually an AARP endorsed plan and not the company named by the OP.
In any event, when I put in her zip code, in a major city, from what I recall, it was not available there, but available in other zip codes all around her. IMO that was health insurance red-lining and for that reason I will have nothing to do with any insurance company endorsed, supported, or in any way connected with AARP.
For AARP to have been in any way associated with an insurance company that would do what I suspected was done, changed my opinion of AARP. I am not a member of the association, don't agree with some of its positions, and don't plan to join or support it in any way.
Advantage plans and their availability vary by zip code. For example, Humana doesn't offer one in my zip (MD), but does 30 miles north in DC. You enroll or change plans only during Open Enrollment. Also, each plan may differ in what it offers, i.e. prescription drug coverage.
Supplemental plans (Medigap) are available anywhere and you can sign-up or change plans at any time. (Important note: to guarantee coverage without answering medical history questions, you have 6 months from your Part B sign-up date to enroll.)
It's important to share accurate info, so correct if needed.
Yes. Both for my husband and my mom has used it for 30 years. Never a problem. Excellent customer service.
Yep, same here. My mom used it. Now I'm using it. No problems at all.
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