An Overview of the Medicare Supplement Plans Available from AARP

An Overview of the Medicare Supplement Plans Available from AARP

UnitedHealthcare Insurance is the company that provides coverage for the AARP Medicare supplement plans. People who are eligible for Medicare can utilize these plans to augment their Medicare coverage if they are concerned that their Medicare plan might not give them all of the medical coverage they require. For more than half a century, AARP has provided its members with access to various health coverage options.

Advantages of the Medicare Plans Offered by AARP

The AARP plans come with a wide variety of benefits and features.
  • The entire country is included in the coverage.
  • You are free to visit any physician who participates in Medicare. This includes the doctor you are seeing right now.
  • You are not required to be referred to other doctors, even if it is possible that you will need to see them.
  • Your plan cannot be terminated and your premiums cannot be increased due to your health conditions.
  • Combining Medicare Part D with a supplemental insurance plan can help reduce the overall cost of your prescription medication.
  • Plans that supplement Medicare are also referred to as Medigap policies, and insurance companies are the only providers of these plans.

A Look at the Supplement Plans Offered by AARP

This article will provide a brief overview of the AARP supplement plans that are made available by UnitedHealthcare. It is important to keep in mind that the specific coverage, coinsurance, copays, and deductibles may differ from state to state. There is a diverse selection of packages available, including:
  • Plan A
  • Plan B
  • Plan C
  • Plan F
  • Plan G
  • Plan K
  • Plan L
  • Plan N
Because the data for each plan was derived from a single postal code in North Carolina, the deductibles that are displayed here could be different for you depending on where you live. These numbers are provided just as illustrative examples. If you require more precise information, you can examine the expenses for your region by entering your zip code on the AARP website and viewing the results.

Plan A

Services Provided by Hospitals Under Medicare Part A:

During the first sixty days of your hospital stay, you are responsible for paying the Part A deductible, which is $1,556. This plan covers the typical nursing fees as well as accommodation and board in a semi-private setting. For days 61 through 90, the plan will pay the additional $389 per day that Medicare will not cover. During the time that you are utilizing your 60 lifetime reserve days, you will be charged $778 a day for coverage of days 91 and beyond. Once the lifetime reserve days have been used up, Medicare will pay for an additional 365 days of any qualified charges, including those that it normally would not cover. After that period of time has elapsed, you are responsible for paying all costs that were previously covered by either Plan A or Medicare out of your own personal funds. In the event that you require a blood transfusion, the cost of the first three pints of blood that you get will be covered. Additionally, it pays for any copayments or coinsurance that Medicare may demand inpatient respite care or outpatient medicines that are prescribed during hospice treatment.

Services of a Medical Nature, as Covered by Medicare Part B:

After you have paid the $233 Part B deductible, Medicare will pay approximately 80 percent of your healthcare costs. Plan A is responsible for the remaining twenty percent of the cost. These can take place inside or outside of a hospital and include visits to the doctor, inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical treatments and supplies, physical and speech therapy, diagnostic testing, blood, and long-term medical equipment. Outpatient treatment is a part of it.

Plan B

Services Provided by Hospitals Under Medicare Part A:

Covers the Part A deductible of $1,556 for the first sixty days of hospitalization after admission. After that, it operates similarly to Plan A. Covers the $389 daily expense that Medicare does not take care of from day 61 to day 90. Plan B provides a payment of $389 each day beginning on day 91 and continuing beyond that point while using the 60 lifetime reserve days. After the lifetime reserve days have been exhausted, Plan B will continue to pay one hundred percent of the charges that are qualified for an additional 365 days. After that time period, you are responsible for covering any charges out of your own pocket. If you've been in the hospital for at least three days and check into an approved facility within thirty days of leaving the hospital, your medical expenses for the first twenty days of your stay in a skilled nursing facility will be covered by your insurance. For days 21 through 100 of coverage, Plan B will pay up to $194.50 per day for skilled nursing care. After day 100, you are responsible for paying for all of the expenditures associated with skilled nursing care. In the event that you require a blood transfusion, this plan will pay for the first three pints of blood. It pays for any copayments or coinsurance that Medicare may impose for outpatient medications and inpatient respite care if the patient is receiving hospice care.

Services of a Medical Nature, as Covered by Medicare Part B:

After you have paid the $233 Part B deductible, Medicare will pay approximately 80 percent of your healthcare costs. Plan B is responsible for the remaining twenty percent of the cost. These can take place inside or outside of a hospital and include visits to the doctor, inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical treatments and supplies, physical and speech therapy, diagnostic testing, blood, and long-term medical equipment. Outpatient treatment is a part of it.

Plan C

Services Provided by Hospitals Under Medicare Part A:

Covers the Medicare Part A deductible of $1,556 for the first 60 days of coverage, $389 per day for days 61 through 90, and $778 per day for days 91 and beyond while utilizing 60 lifetime reserve days. Once the lifetime reserve days have been depleted, the remaining 365 days will have one hundred percent of their eligible expenditures paid. Offers coverage of up to $194.50 per day for skilled nursing facility stays ranging from day 21 through day 100. After the 100th day, all expenditures associated with skilled nursing care must be paid for out of your own personal funds. In the event that you require a blood transfusion, this plan will pay for the first three pints of blood. It pays for any copayments or coinsurance that Medicare could demand inpatient respite care or outpatient medicines while the patient is receiving hospice care.

Services of a Medical Nature, as Covered by Medicare Part B:

Covers the $233 deductible for Part B, and then covers around 20 percent of the remaining healthcare expenditures after Medicare pays approximately 80 percent of those costs. Includes coverage for the first three pints of blood, the Part B deductible of $233, and then an additional 20% of the costs that remain after Medicare pays its share of around 80%. It covers the $233 deductible for Part B of Medicare's coverage of durable medical equipment and then it pays 20 percent of the remaining expenditures after Medicare pays around 80 percent of those costs. After you have paid the first $250 in a calendar year for emergency care during the first 60 days of travel outside the United States, this plan will pay for up to 80 percent of the remaining costs that are deemed essential. This has a lifetime limit of $50,000, and it cannot be increased.

Plan F

UnitedHealthcare's Plan F is their most comprehensive supplemental insurance plan. This plan provides coverage for the same things that Plan C provides. The one and only distinction are that it pays one hundred percent of any excess Part B healthcare cost charges that are made that are in excess of the allowed amounts.

Plan G

The coverage provided by Plan G is almost identical to that provided by Plan C. On the other hand, there are a few key distinctions. You are responsible for the following costs associated with the Plan G Part B deductible:
  • Medical expenditures
  • Blood
  • Durable medical equipment
In addition, the plan will pay one hundred percent of any Part B excess costs that are incurred that are higher than the amounts that have been authorized. In contrast, if you choose Plan C, you will be responsible for paying one hundred percent of any Part B excess charges that are incurred.

Plan K

Plan K is quite similar to Plan C, with the exception that it contributes just fifty percent rather than one hundred of certain costs. There is a cap on the amount that can be paid out of pocket ($6,220 for 2021). As soon as you hit that threshold, the plan will pay for one hundred percent of all of your qualified medical costs for the remainder of the calendar year.

Services Provided by Hospitals Under Medicare Part A:

Only half of the Part A deductible ($758) is covered by Plan K's coverage, which totals $1,556. For days 21 to 100, it pays up to $97.25, instead of the standard daily rate of $194.50, for care provided in a skilled nursing facility. In the event that you require a blood transfusion, it will only pay for half of the cost of the first three pints of blood. Only fifty percent of any copayment or coinsurance for outpatient medications and inpatient respite care is covered by the plan when it comes to hospice care.

Services of a Medical Nature, as Covered by Medicare Part B:

In contrast to Plan C, the Part B deductible of $233 is not covered under Plan K. Additionally, it pays for approximately 10 percent — in comparison to approximately 20 percent for Plan C — of the permitted amounts for healthcare costs, but Medicare typically pays for 80 percent of these costs. These costs encompass seeing a physician for treatment, receiving inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical treatments and supplies, as well as speech and physical therapy, diagnostic testing, and the purchase of long-term medical equipment. Plan K, in contrast to other Medigap plans, will pay for the remainder of the costs that are considered acceptable for preventative treatment. Most of the time, Medicare will pay for seventy-five percent or more of the cost of preventive care for services that are covered by Medicare.

Plan L

Plan L is quite similar to Plan C, although it pays 75 percent of certain costs rather than the whole 100 percent of those costs. In the same way, as Plan K does, it has an out-of-pocket maximum of $3,110. However, once you have reached the maximum, the plan will pay one hundred percent of any further covered medical expenses you have for the balance of the calendar year.

Services Provided by Hospitals Under Medicare Part A:

Plan L contributes just 75 percent, or $1,167, toward the Part A deductible, which is $1,556. For days 21 to 100, it pays up to $145.86 per day for care at a skilled nursing facility, down from the previous maximum of $194.50 per day. If you require a transfusion, it will only cover 75 percent of the cost of the first three pints of blood, and if you need hospice care, it will only pay 75 percent of any copay or coinsurance for outpatient medications and inpatient respite care.

Services of a Medical Nature, as Covered by Medicare Part B:

Plan L does not cover the $233 Part B deductible, in contrast to Plan C, which does. Additionally, it pays for approximately 15 percent — as opposed to approximately 20 percent for Plan C — of the permitted amounts for healthcare costs that Medicare should pay at a percentage of 80 percent. The services of a doctor, inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical treatments and supplies, physical and speech therapy, tests, blood, and medical equipment are all included in these charges. Plan L, just like Plan K, pays for the remaining portion of the sums that have been approved for preventive care. It is reasonable for Medicare to pay for at least 75% of the preventive care benefits associated with Medicare-covered therapies.

Plan N

There are two key distinctions between Plan N and Plan G. Plan N will pay for expenditures that are more than $20 for an office visit and $50 for an emergency department visit; but, it will only pay 20 percent of the permitted amounts for the other Part B approved medical charges. Typically, Medicare will pay for 80 percent of these fees. If you are admitted to a hospital and the emergency room visit is covered by Medicare Part A, you may be exempt from paying the $50 copay. In addition, Plan N contributes nothing toward Part B excess charges that are in excess of the allowed levels, in contrast to Plan G, which covers those expenditures in full.

Eligibility Requirements

You can start receiving Medicare benefits up to three months before your 65th birthday if you enroll in the program. To be eligible for Medicare supplemental coverage, you must first be enrolled in both Parts A and B of the original Medicare program. If you are already receiving payments from Social Security, you are automatically registered in Medicare without having to take any additional steps. If you are eligible for Medicare Part B, you are eligible to begin the six-month open enrollment period for purchasing a Medigap plan the month after you become enrolled in Medicare Part B. You also need to be at least 65 years old. Even though you have a preexisting health concern, an insurer is not allowed to charge you more for a Medigap plan during the open enrollment period than it would charge a person who didn't have a preexisting condition. This restriction applies only to premiums paid during the open enrollment period.

Is There an AARP Plan That Meets Your Needs?

If you are concerned about the cost of copays, coinsurance, and deductibles that are not covered by Medicare, you may find that enrolling in an AARP plan is the solution you have been looking for to help with your healthcare expenditures. In order to enroll in AARP supplemental plans, you are required to first become a member of AARP. You can submit your application to AARP on their website. You can contact AARP if you have any questions about AARP's supplement plans.

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