AARP Medicare Advantage Plans
Secure Horizons AARP Medicare Advantage Plans are some of the most popular
Secure Horizons is getting a lot of mileage from the AARP brand. The brand is so strong, that many people assume that AARP is the insurer. Of course this is not the case. AARP is an advocacy group that receives a royalty for lending their brand to Secure Horizons. AARP Medicare Advantage plans are underwritten by United Health Care.
AARP Medicare Complete is by far the most recognizable Advantage plan in the Secure Horizons family. Many people do not realize that there are many Medicare Complete plans available. All Medicare Complete plans are branded as AARP Advantage plans. As an example, plans include:
- Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Medical and Part D included.
- Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Medical benefits only.
- Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Medical and Part D benefits.
- PPO plans with medical benefits only
- Point of Service (HMO_POS) Medical and Part D benefits.
- HMO-POS plans with medical benefits only.
Secure Horizons AARP Medicare Advantage plans for 2011 include 21 different plans. Not all plans are offered in all service areas. Check with an insurance agent authorized to represent Secure Horizons to learn about your options if you are interested in one of their plans.
Don’t confuse AARP Medicare Advantage plans with AARP Medigap plans
There is still plenty of confusion about Advantage plans. Many people often refer to them as Medicare supplements. A Medicare Advantage plan is not a Medicare supplement.
A Medigap policy is the traditional type of plan that fills the gaps left by Medicare. Medicare supplements (Medigap) are standardized plans, that to one degree or another, cover the portion of Medicare expenses that would normally be the beneficiaries responsibility. Plans may be referred to as AARP Medigap Plan F or AARP Medigap Plan N.
An Advantage plan, whether a Humana Medicare Advantage plan or one offered by Secure Horizons, is another way to receive your Medicare benefits. A private insurance company contracts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to administer you Medicare benefits. The assumption goes that, because the insurance company is more financially efficient than the federal government, they should be able to get more benefits for your Medicare dollar.
Choosing an Advantage plan
If you decide that an Advantage plan is the right choice, you will need to do your home work. There are literally dozens of choices in most service areas. A service area is a County. Many people look for Medicare Advantage plans by State, but you really need to look on a County-by-County basis.
AARP Medicare Advantage plans are not your only choice, but given their solid products, strong networks and reputation for customer service, you will be in capable hands should you choose to enroll.
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Comments
Here is the phone number for Secure Horizons. 1-800-547-5514. Secure Horizons offers the AARP Medicare Complete Advantage plans. This site is not an AARP site, and as such, we do not have access to materials for all AARP Medicare Complete plans. You may or may not have a PPO Medicare Complete plan available in your area. Some service areas only have HMO plans available for Medicare Complete.
I DO NOT want to be contacted. I filled out information to see a quote and it said I would be contacted. Do not want to be contacted. Thanks
Karl
Wish you would give more information about your PPO plan online. If I knew more, I would probably join.
Karl, Rest assured no one from this site will contact you. http://www.affordablemedicareplan.com offers a 5 part mini-course detailing information about Medicare Advantage plans. The mini-course is without obligation. We only require your first name and your email address to deliver the mini-course. Subscribers can opt-out at any time… no hard feelings.
Laurie, this is a blog about Medicare Advantage plans and topics related to Medicare in the news. I don’t have access to all of the AARP Medicare Complete plan information from across the US. Your easiest solution may be to contact a local agent.
Roz, If you don’t have a local sales agent you can call SecureHorizons toll free: 1 800 547-5514, 8AM to 8:00PM local time, 7 days a week. TTY users, call 711. They will inform you of your options related to AARP Medicare Advantage plans.
David
I am 69, have RA, Ulcerated colitis, crones, fibromyalgia, IBS, Sjogrens, and other diseases. My costs have really jumped this year for my meds and Remicade infusion $882,that keeps me i remission and able to walk.
This year my insurance jumped my share of the Remicade treatment that keeps me mobile, to 20% that turns out to be $882 every 6 weeks that I cannot afford. I get $1211 total a month SSI and my small pension combined. I take 23 other prescriptions that I have to pay a co-pay on, costing $199-300 a month and the Remicade is now costing $882 every 6 weeks. With Maintenance fee, Electric, cable, telephone, doctor co-pays, food etc comes to much more than the $1211 a month that comes in. Now how do I pay the rest?’ My 5 specialists at $35 co-pay that I see 1-2 times a month. I have nothing left for food.
I hope you have a plan that can get me out of this situation that I am building. If you don’t have a plan that would work maybe you know of one that can. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Debbie Wassmann
Debbie, I’m sorry to hear about your situation. Your situation is beyond the scope of my expertise. Even if you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 monthly premium it will not alleviate your other costs. Have you appealed to the drug manufacturer? Perhaps you should consult your local area Council on Aging or SHINE office.
The following headlines are being reported by AP & HHS:
“Medicare Advantage Premiums Dip, Enrollment Rising
Premiums for 2012 decline an average of 4 percent.”
Having just received from AARP’s MedicareComplete Choice Regional Plan 2 MA PPO, their changes for 2012 from 2011, please explain the contradictions vis a vis the above reported headlines.
1)While the premium remains $0, the co-pays per specialist visit INCREASES from $30 to $40 and $40 to $50 for “in network/out of network.
2)The co insurance payments for numerous outpatient/other services INCREASES from 20% to 30% and 30% to 40% for in network/out of network.
Please have AARP contact Universal Healthcare and have them explain their reduced $coverages while according to AP others are reducing prices/increasing coverage. AARP should pull their support otherwise.
Please send me information and rates for a PPO plan.
thank you.