AARP Medicare Advantage 2023 Review
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AARP Medicare Advantage plans are insured by UnitedHealthcare.
AARP plans are widely available.
7 in 10 AARP plans have no premium.
Star ratings for AARP Medicare Advantage plans are above average.
AARP Medicare Advantage plans are insured by UnitedHealthcare — the largest Medicare Advantage provider in the country — and offer several benefits that aren’t available in Original Medicare, such as some coverage for preventive dental care, vision care and hearing exams.
Here’s what you should know about AARP Medicare Advantage.
Why you might choose AARP Medicare Advantage
AARP’s Medicare Advantage offerings have strong pros:
Backed by a solid company: UnitedHealthcare, which insures AARP Medicare Advantage plans, offers the largest Medicare Advantage network of all companies, with more than 1 million network care providers.
Highly rated plans: About 7 out of 10 AARP Medicare Advantage plans with star ratings are rated 4 stars or higher.
Low cost: Among AARP Medicare Advantage plans, 70% offer a $0 premium.
Dental perks: Most plans have dental coverage, which comes with a $0 copay for covered dental care with in-network providers, including fillings, extractions and implants up to the plan’s annual limit. UHC also has the largest dental network.
Available AARP Medicare Advantage plans
AARP Medicare Advantage plans vary in terms of structure, costs and benefits available. The company offers HMO and PPO plans as well as stand-alone prescription drug plans.
Additional benefits
AARP Medicare Advantage offers most members access to dental care, eye exams and discounted hearing aids. Many of its plans offer other benefits as well. Here are a few standouts:
Fitness benefits: Many plans include the Renew Active fitness program, which gives members access to a large network of gyms and fitness facilities as well as local classes and events. Members can also access a library of online workout videos and an online brain health program from AARP called Staying Sharp.
Over-the-counter benefit: Members may have access to a credit every quarter that can be used for eligible products like pain relievers and vitamins.
Telehealth: Plans offer $0 copays for telehealth visits for nonemergency medical or general mental health issues.
Customer service
AARP Medicare Advantage members can contact their plan’s customer service (managed by UnitedHealthcare) in the following ways:
Call the number on their member ID card from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time seven days a week.
Chat with a customer service agent.
Call 800-721-0627 (TTY: 711) for website-related technical issues 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central time Monday through Friday.
AARP Medicare Advantage service area
AARP Medicare Advantage plans are available in 48 states and Washington, D.C., and more than 4 million people are enrolled in AARP plans as of October 2022.
Overall, UnitedHealthcare is the largest health insurer in the country by market share, and it's the largest among for-profit health plans. More than 8.2 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in a UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan, and the company added 765,000 members for the 2022 plan year.
AARP Medicare Advantage costs
Costs for Medicare Advantage plans will depend on your plan, geographic location and health needs. One of the costs to consider is the plan’s premium. Seven out of 10 of AARP’s Medicare Advantage plans offer $0 premiums. Of AARP plans that have a premium, the monthly consolidated premium (including Part C and Part D) ranges from $9 to $119.
Even as a Medicare Advantage user, you’ll still be responsible for paying your Medicare Part B premium, which is $164.90 per month in 2023. (Most people pay this standard amount, but if your income is above a certain threshold, you’ll pay more.)
Other out-of-pocket costs to consider include:
Whether the plan covers any part of your monthly Medicare Part B premium.
The plan’s yearly deductibles and any other deductibles, such as a drug deductible.
Copayments and/or coinsurance for each visit or service. For instance, there may be a $10 copay for seeing your primary doctor and a $45 copay for seeing a specialist.
The plan’s in-network and out-of-network out-of-pocket maximums.
Whether your medical providers are in-network or out-of-network or how often you may go out of network for care.
Whether you require extra benefits and whether the plan charges for them.
To get a sense of costs, use Medicare’s website to compare information among available plans in your area. You can select by insurance carrier to see only UnitedHealthcare plans or compare across carriers. You can also shop directly from UnitedHealthcare’s website by entering your ZIP code, and you’ll be able to compare the plans available.
AARP Medicare Advantage star ratings
Average star rating, weighted by enrollment: 4.28
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services maintains its own database of star ratings on every Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug plan, ranging from best (5 stars) to worst (1 star). The agency bases these ratings on plans’ quality of care and measurements of customer satisfaction, and ratings may change from year to year.
All Medicare Advantage plans are evaluated on health plan measures, and Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage are also evaluated on drug plan measures.
Based on the most recent year of data and weighted by enrollment, UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, which include AARP plans, get an average rating of 4.28.
For comparison, the average star rating for plans from all providers in 2023 is 4.15.
Of the AARP Medicare Advantage plans with star ratings in 2023, 2% are rated 5 out of 5, 30% are rated 4.5 and 37% are rated 4.0. The remainder received lower ratings.
You can find a plan’s rating with the Medicare plan finding tool.
Medicare Advantage providers
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Advantage providers. These insurers offer plans in most states. The plans you can choose from will depend on your ZIP code and county.
About AARP
AARP is a nonprofit interest group and advocacy organization. It advocates for local, state and national policies on behalf of older Americans. AARP members can access benefits through the organization, including discounts on products and services.
Find the right Medicare Advantage plan
It’s important to do your research before selecting a health plan. Here are some questions to consider:
What are the plan’s costs? Do you understand what the plan’s premium, deductibles, copays and/or coinsurance will be? Can you afford them?
Is your doctor in-network? If you have a preferred medical provider or providers, make sure they participate in the plan’s network.
Are your prescriptions covered? If you’re on medication, it’s crucial to understand how the plan covers it. What tier are your prescription drugs on, and are there any coverage rules that apply to them?
Is there dental coverage? Does the plan offer routine coverage for vision, dental and hearing needs?
Are there extras? Does the plan offer any extra benefits, such as fitness memberships, transportation benefits or meal delivery?
