UnitedHealthCare Medicare Review

UnitedHealthCare Medicare Ratings at a Glance

United Healthcare Corporation is a national leader in healthcare management programs. The company owns or manages about 20 local health maintenance organizations (HMOs) that serve about two million people who have signed up for health plans through the company.

UnitedHealthcare has health plans for people of all ages and ways of life in the United States. This coverage includes people, employers and people who get Medicare or Medicaid.

The company has a preferred provider network of 1.3 million doctors, other healthcare workers and more than 6,500 hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the country. UnitedHealthcare has a partnership with AARP to provide Medicare Advantage Plans that serve about 4 million on Medicare.

UnitedHealthcare takes care of the health needs of more than 13 million people who are over 65 and eligible for Medicare.

UnitedHealthcare offers Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Medicare Prescription Drug, and Medicare Special Needs Plans in 48 states and Washington, D.C. Not all plans are available in all areas.

Medicare Advantage Plans

Medicare Advantage (Part C) Plans are comprehensive insurance packages that include both Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and supplemental coverage (such as vision, hearing and dental) for a single monthly premium. 

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage features include:

• $0 copays for virtual visits with a primary care doctor and lab tests
• Copayments and deductibles of $0 coverage for prescriptions in Tiers 1 and 2, as well as a large pharmacy network with national chains and local options
• $0 copays for dental procedures like checkups, regular cleanings, fillings, crowns and dentures
• Routine yearly hearing exam with $0 copay and a large range of brand-name hearing aids
• An annual routine eye exam for a $0 copay
• A covered one-month supply of insulin prescriptions for $35 or less

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans

Parts A and B of Medicare don't cover all of a patient's medical expenses, but Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, can help. You can see any doctor or stay in any hospital that accepts Medicare patients.

UnitedHealthcare Supplement Insurance plan features include:

• Low or no copay, coinsurance or deductible options
• Your coverage never changes even if your health does
• Part D plans combine with Medicare Supplement plans to give greater coverage

Medicare Prescription Drug Plans

Part D Prescription Drug Plans are supplementary insurance that can be added to Original Medicare (Parts A and B) or a Medicare Supplement Plan to help cover the cost of prescription pharmaceuticals not covered by those other plans.

UnitedHealthcare's AARP MedicareRx programs each offer distinct coverage and medicine lists for generic and brand-name drugs.

UnitedHealthcare’s prescription drug coverage options include:

• Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) Plans: If you have Original Medicare and/or a Medicare Supplement plan, you can buy a separate Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) plan to help pay for your prescription drug costs.
• Medicare Advantage (Part C) Plans: Most of UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans cover prescription drugs. And prescription drug coverage will be part of all Special Needs Plans, which are a type of Medicare Advantage plan.

Prescription drug plan features include:

• The Plan Documents Search Tool can help identify a plan's medication list or Evidence of Coverage.
• The Preferred Pharmacy Network offers savings if you buy medicines at a network pharmacy.
• OptumRx home delivery allows you to have a three-month supply of your prescriptions delivered to your home, often at a discounted price.

Medicare Special Needs Plans

People with a qualifying health condition can get Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNP). D-SNP Plans combine the benefits of Medicare Parts A and B with the Medicaid benefits in your state. Some of these plans have a premium of $0 or less.

D-SNP features include:

• Food, over-the-counter (OTC) and utility bill credit: Get a monthly credit that you can use to pay for healthy food, OTC products and utility bills. 
• Dental care: Access to the largest national Medicare Advantage dental network and $0 out-of-pocket costs for common dental care including checkups, cleanings, fillings, crowns and dentures. 
• Routine vision benefits: One of Medicare Advantage's largest nationwide vision networks covers annual eye exams with no out-of-pocket expense.
• Routine hearing benefits: A wide variety of leading hearing aid brands are included in the annual $0 cost regular hearing exam.
• Routine transportation: $0 copay for transportation to approved locations including doctor’s offices, pharmacies and gyms. 

A J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study ranked UnitedHealthcare with an 808 out of 1,000 in overall customer satisfaction. The customer survey included 10 Medicare Advantage Providers.

UnitedHealthcare received a 3.7 out of 5-star grade for customer satisfaction from Consumer Affairs. There were 1,211 ratings made in the last year that went into calculating this average. Consumers had a mixed reaction to the company, with some saying the coverage is outstanding but others complaining about the bad customer service and claims processing.

For customer assistance, you may call 1-833-734-2657, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in your time zone every day of the week, and speak with a UnitedHealthcare representative. You can also chat with an agent online or make an appointment to speak with a licensed insurance professional in your area.

The price you pay for Medicare services is determined by the coverage you select, the medical services and benefits you use during the year and any restrictions your insurance plan may have on in-network and out-of-network expenses.

Monthly premiums are required for most Medicare Part B, Medicare Part C, Part D and Medigap plans. Sometimes you may be required to pay an additional premium for Part A.  

Medicare or Medigap will cover a portion of the cost of your deductible, copay and coinsurance costs: 

• Deductible: A predetermined amount you must pay out of pocket before Medicare or your plan starts to cover covered treatments.

• Copay: A set fee you pay when you obtain a covered service or benefit. For instance, you might pay $20 for a doctor's appointment or $12 to purchase a prescription.

• Coinsurance: The sum that might be owed to cover your portion of the cost of a covered service. A covered medical therapy, for instance, can cost you the remaining 20% after Medicare Part B pays around 80% of the cost.

Because prices vary, you can get a quote through Benzinga to find an affordable price for Medicare plans.

Medicare Plans from UnitedHealthcare come with lots of policy perks and benefits. Here are some of the benefits available to UnitedHealthcare members:

• Rewards for completing health-related tasks 

• Get a free gym membership, workout videos and access to top facilities across the country

• $40 of over-the-counter products every quarter

• Social events with others at community health and fitness events

• UCard™ is more than just your member ID. With your UCard, you access rewards, gym membership and credits for OTC products that come with your plan.

If you aren’t sure what type of Medicare coverage is right for you, you can use the Right Promise Plan, a needs assessment tool, to help find the Medicare plan that best fits your healthcare needs.

UnitedHealthcare's AARP-affiliated Medicare Advantage plans are open to anybody, not just AARP members. UHC plans include access to a network of preferred doctors and hospitals, which can significantly reduce healthcare costs.

Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia offer Medicare Advantage plans from UnitedHealthcare, making them accessible. Its zero-monthly-fee options make UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage plans a popular choice for seniors on Medicare.

UnitedHealthCare vs Competitors

UnitedHealthcare has a few similar competitors like Aetna and Anthem, each with similarities and differences. You can use the table below to start your search for Medicare coverage that is right for you. 

Because UnitedHealthcare offers many different Medicare Advantage Plans, it is easy to locate one that suits your needs. UnitedHealthcare has become a popular Medicare Advantage provider in recent years because of its focus on plans with zero-dollar copayments and affordable monthly rates. The company offers coverage in 48 states and the District of Columbia along with a large network of preferred providers to help reduce costs.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Video Tutorial

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