AARP Medicare Supplement plans are provided by UnitedHealthcare Insurance. The plans are available to those who qualify to complement their Medicare plan in the event the plan they have may not offer the full health insurance they require. AARP has been offering health insurance plans to its members of the group for over 50 years.
Key Takeaways
- The AARP’s Medicare Supplement plans include Plans A, B C, F, G, K and N.
- You’re qualified to enroll in AARP Medicare plans if you’re enrolling with Medicare Parts A and B.
- You can enroll in Supplemental plans (Medigap) during the six months preceding the month you’re enrolling with Medicare Part B.
Benefits of AARP Medicare Plans
There are a variety of features and benefits of AARP plans.
- The coverage is available across the country.
- You can use any doctor that Medicare accepts. This includes your current physician.
- You don’t need to see other doctors that you might have to see.
- The policy you have purchased cannot be canceled, nor will your monthly premium be raised due to health issues.
- A Supplement plan can be a part of Medicare Part D to lower the cost of prescription drugs. 1
Note
Medicare supplement plans are called Medigap plans. They are available through insurance companies.
A Look at AARP Supplement Plans
Here’s a quick look at the AARP supplement plans provided by UnitedHealthcare. It is important to note that coverage, coinsurance, copays, and deductibles can differ by state. There are many options to pick from:
Note
The plans’ figures are taken from California’s zip codes in 2022. Therefore, the deductibles you pay could vary depending on your location. These figures are provided as illustrations only. If you require more specific information, input your zip code on the AARP’s website and see the cost for your region. 1
Plan A
Hospital Services for Medicare Part A:
- You will be required to cover part A, the deductible of $1,556, during your first 30 days of hospitalization. This plan provides a semiprivate room and board and standard nursing charges.
- You don’t pay anything for the days between 61 and 90. The days beyond 91 are covered under the 60 reserve days.
- Medicare covers all eligible expenses that Medicare could not otherwise cover for 365 days after those lifetime reserve days have been taken into account. You are required to pay from your pockets for any costs paid for through Plan A or Medicare after the 365-day period has expired.
Medical Services for Medicare Part B:
- Medicare covers 80 percent of your healthcare expenses once you have paid the $333 Part B deductible. Plan A covers the remainder of 20 percent. This includes doctor’s services, including outpatient and inpatient surgical and medical services, equipment, speech, and physical therapy, blood tests for diagnostics, and durable medical devices within or outside of the hospital. This includes outpatient services.
Plan B
Hospital Services for Medicare Part A:
- Hospitalization is covered as with Plan A, except that there is no cost for your first sixty days.
- Plan B covers the costs of a skilled nursing facility during the first twenty days if you’ve been hospitalized for at least three days and enter a facility approved within 30 days after being discharged from the hospital. Plan B covers a maximum of $194.50 daily to provide skilled nursing from days 21 to 100. You are responsible for the entire professional nursing expenses after the 100th day.
Medical Services for Medicare Part B:
- Medicare covers about 80 percent of your healthcare expenses after you have paid the $133 Part B deductible. Plan B will cover the remaining 20 percent. This includes doctor’s services, outpatient and inpatient surgical and medical services, equipment, x-rays, mental health tests, diagnostic tests, and durable medical devices within or outside the hospital. It also includes outpatient treatment.
Plan C
Hospital Services for Medicare Part A:
- It covers Part A, the deductible of $1,556 for up to 60 days following hospitalization, and in other ways, it is similar to the coverage provided by Plan B.
- You are responsible for paying all nursing costs directly from your savings after the 100th day (costs will be covered for up to 100 consecutive days).
Medical Services for Medicare Part B:
- Covers the Part B deductible of $233. Then, it covers 20% of medical expenses left after Medicare covers about 80% of the cost.
- There is no cost for doctor’s visits or any preventative treatments provided by Medicare.
- There’s no maximum out-of-pocket.
- It provides emergency services (ground and air) and covers 80 percent of international travel emergencies (after the $250 deductible and an annual maximum of $50,000).
Plan F
Plan F, which is more than a year old, offers the most comprehensive supplement plan UnitedHealthcare provides. It covers the same items that Plan C covers. The distinction is that this plan will cover 100 percent of Part B’s extra costs for healthcare that exceed the amounts that are approved.
Plan G
Plan G covers nearly everything that Plan C covers. There are, however, some distinctions. You are responsible for the $233 Part B deductible in Plan G.
The plan also covers 100% of the extra charges for Part B over the approved amount. In contrast, Plan C will require you to pay the total amount of Part B excess charges.
Plan K
Plan K is similar to Plan C but doesn’t cover all expenses. It comes with a maximum out-of-pocket amount ($6,220 to 2022). When you reach that limit the plan will cover 100% of your costs for medical care during the remainder of the year.
Hospital Services for Medicare Part A:
- Plan K covers only 50 percent (or $778) of the $1,556 Part-A deductible. It will pay up to $97.25 instead of $194.50 per day from 21 to 100 days for care in an assisted living facility.
- The cost is $778 for the initial 60 days of hospitalization.
Medical Services for Medicare Part B:
- Plan K pays 90% of the costs associated with outpatient services, care, and equipment.
- The costs for these include treatment with doctors by inpatient outpatient medical and surgical treatments as well as supplies, including speech and physical therapy tests, as well as durable medical equipment.
Note
In contrast to other Medigap programs, Plan K pays for expenses above Medicare-approved limits.
Plan L
Plan L is similar to Plan C but pays only 95%, not 100%, for certain expenses. Similar to Plan K, it also includes a maximum out-of-pocket ($3,310). After reaching the maximum, the plan covers the entire amount of your medical expenses for the rest of the year. 2
Hospital Services for Medicare Part A:
- Plan L pays only 25 percent of the Part A deductible.
- It will cover the cost of care in an assisted-living facility for the initial 20 days. After that, you’ll be charged up to $48.62 from day 21 to 100. After that, you’ll be responsible for all costs. That.
Medical Services for Medicare Part B:
- In contrast to Plan C, Plan L doesn’t pay any Part B tax deductible.
Note
Like Plan K, Plan L covers the remaining portion of the authorized amounts for preventive health care. Medicare is required to pay for 75 percent or more of the preventative benefits that Medicare covers.
Plan N
Plan N is different from Plan G in two ways. Plan N covers costs of greater than $20 per office visit and $50 per hospital visit. The $50 copay could be waived in the event that you are taken to the hospital or if the ER session is covered under Medicare Part A.
Plan N will also pay nothing for the Part B excess charges beyond the amount approved, as compared to Plan G’s 100% coverage.
Eligibility Requirements
You are able to sign up for Medicare for up to three months prior to your 65th birthday. It is mandatory to enroll under Medicare Parts A and B to be eligible for Medicare Supplemental coverage.
There isn’t something else to enroll in Medicare if you have benefited from Social Security Benefits. The period of open enrollment to purchase the Medigap plan is six months and starts when you’re being enrolled in Medicare Part B. You must also be over 65.
A company may not be able to charge more to enroll in a Medigap program during an open enrollment time than it would for an individual who doesn’t have any preexisting medical condition, even if you’ve preexisting health issues. 3
Is an AARP Plan Right for You?
An AARP plan might be the solution you’ve been looking for to cover your healthcare expenses if worried about the payment for copays coinsurance, and deductibles that aren’t covered by Medicare. It is necessary first to be an AARP member before you can enroll in AARP additional plans. You can complete the application for AARP online.
You may reach the AARP for more concerns about the supplement plans offered by AARP.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a Medicare Supplement plan?
Medicare Supplement plans can help you cover the cost of Medicare Parts A and B. These plans are also known as “Medigap” as they can fill in the gaps in the original Medicare payments. Medigap plans are designed to help you pay for medical expenses that aren’t covered by your Medicare’s original Medicare which includes copayments, deductibles, as well as coinsurance. 4
What is the difference between Medicare supplements and Medicare Advantage?
Medicare Advantage, as well as Medigap plans, aren’t compatible. You cannot purchase Medigap when you’re enrolled in Medicare Advantage. If the plan you’re already in, you cannot apply it to any Medicare charges. 5 Also known as Part C Medicare Advantage policies are bundle plans that come with Medicare Parts A and B, in addition to Part D (drug coverage). The coverage extends beyond the original Medicare, but Medigap is merely a way to pay for the costs that the original Medicare will cover.