Are you looking for a good Medicare Advantage plan for 2022? If so, you should consider AARP/UnitedHealthcare. They are one of the top providers in the country. They offer a wide variety of plans to choose from. In this article, we will review their most popular plan, Medicare Advantage Plan C. We will go over the benefits that this plan offers, and we will also compare it to other leading plans on the market. So if you are interested in learning more about AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plan C, keep reading!
Why You Should You Pick AARP
Medicare Advantage plans from AARP/UnitedHealthcare are widely available, affordable, and have good overall ratings. This is a winning combination for many people because UnitedHealthcare is also the most popular provider, issuing more than a quarter of all Medicare Advantage policies.
UnitedHealthcare is a good choice for people who want coverage from a reputable national insurance company. You will get a wide variety of plans to choose from and lots of included perks like dental care, vision, fitness, and more.
For those who want out-of-network coverage, AARP/UnitedHealthcare is an especially great choice because the cost of a local PPO plan averages $15 per month. This is 65% cheaper than the industry average.
If access to a wide range of doctors and hospitals is important to you, UnitedHealthcare has a reasonably large network of providers, but it’s not as large as Blue Cross Blue Shield.
The downside of UnitedHealthcare’s plans is its lackluster customer experience. Surveyed policyholders rate the plan as only 3.6 to 3.7 stars. That average performance is not as strong as some of the top-ranking companies, like Humana.
How Do Their Plans Work?
Medicare Advantage, also called Medicare Part C, is a bundled insurance plan that’s administered by a private insurance company, in this case, UnitedHealthcare.
Plans cover medical care, hospitalization services, and usually prescription drugs.
You can sign up for Medicare Advantage when you first become eligible for Medicare, and then you can update your plan annually during Medicare open enrollment in the fall.
When comparing Medicare Advantage plans, we recommend you choose a plan based on the medical care you expect to need. If you’re in good health, a low-cost plan could be the most cost-effective, even if you have to pay a little more for your medical care. However, if you have chronic health issues, it may be cost-effective to sign up for a more expensive plan with better benefits. For example, paying $25 more per month is worth it if the more expensive plan will save you more than $300 per year in medical care.
UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Brands
Medicare Advantage plans from UnitedHealthcare are sold under four brands: AARP, Erickson Advantage, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, and UnitedHealthcare.
AARP Medicare Advantage plans are the most commonly offered option — they’re even more common than UnitedHealthcare-branded plans.
With an AARP Medicare Advantage plan, you do not need to be an AARP member to enroll in the insurance coverage. That’s different from an AARP Medicare Supplement plan, where you do have to be an AARP member to enroll.
What is the Availability Like?
Including all of the brands offered, UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans are widely available throughout the country. This includes 48 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly as widespread are its cheap plans that cost $0 per month.
UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage availability:
- All plans: 48 states and the District of Columbia (Only Alaska and Louisiana do not have plans available.)
- $0 plans: 47 states and the District of Columbia (The cheapest plan in Wyoming costs $35 per month.)
Keep in mind that Medicare Advantage plans are issued at the county level. That means plan options may change from county to county. For example, in California, UnitedHealthcare plans are only offered in about two-thirds of the state.
UnitedHealthcare is the most popular Medicare Advantage provider, issuing 27% of all policies. As well as gaining new networks along the way.
Benefits Through Them
With UnitedHealthcare, the copayments for medical care are generally low, but many medical services require prior authorization from the insurance company.
For example, if you need a lab test or a specialist appointment, your doctor needs to get approval from UnitedHealthcare before you’ll be covered for that service. Even though you, as the patient, are not responsible for getting this prior approval, this process can affect how quickly you can get the care and add extra paperwork if the request is denied.
The health services that require prior authorizations vary by plan, but we found that across the plans we reviewed, UnitedHealthcare generally required prior authorization for the following non-emergency services:
- Specialist visits
- Diagnostic tests
- Lab services
- X-rays and MRIs
- Hospital care
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Physical therapy
- Hearing exams
- Non-routine dental
- Eye exam
We now have covered a AARP Medicare Advantage review. If this sounds like a fit for you. Give us a call and we can go over some of the plans in your area.