AARP Health Options
"AARP is at the forefront of one of the transformational issues of our time --- the aging of America. We must harness the experience, knowledge and resources of AARP to lead in addressing this issue, especially pertaining to health care and financial security and other quality-of-life issues." A. Barry Rand, AARP's CEO, June 2009
AARP
AARP --- a well-respected and massive support and lobbying organization for people ages 50 and above --- offers two major sets of health care insurance, the first for members ages 50 to 64 and the second for those 65 and older whose primary insurance is Medicare.
Before Medicare
As of July 2009, AARP offered only a single program to the 50-to-64 age group -- Aetna's AARP Essential Premier Health Insurance plan. Aetna sells the insurance with premiums based on which of three deductible levels you choose (the lower the deductible, the higher the premium). Aetna says its plan offers many of the benefits common to employer-provided health insurance. Availability of plans, rates and products may vary depending on your location.
Medicare Supplemental
Medicare supplemental health insurance plans add additional "secondary" insurance designed to cover some of the costs of the "gap" in Medicare's coverage (coinsurance, co-payments and deductible, for example).
United HealthCare sells AARP's supplemental offerings. The availability of plans, rates and products may vary depending on your location.
Medicare Advantage
All Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans contain Medicare Parts A and B. Secure Horizons, an affiliate of United HealthCare, sells "Medicare Complete," the AARP Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Complete plans do not restrict enrollment for pre-existing conditions and don't require that you pass a physical examination before enrolling. As with AARP's supplemental plans, benefits vary and plans may not be available in all areas.
MedicareRx
United HealthCare writes the three AARP MedicareRx Plans (MedicareRx Saver, Preferred and Enhanced). Like most Medicare Part D programs, the MedicareRx plans contain a coverage "gap" (also called the "doughnut hole").
For 2009, the coverage gap begins after you and the plan have paid a combined total of $2,700 in drug costs. At that point, you will pay for all of your discounted prescription medications until your total out-of-pocket drug costs for the year reach $4,350, at which point catastrophic coverage begins.
In return for higher premiums, the MedicareRx Enhanced plan provides coverage for Tier 1 drugs (generics) when you are in the "doughnut hole."
Tags: Medicare Advantage, United HealthCare, 2009 AARP, AARP supplemental, coverage begins, depending your
