Georgia Medicare Plans

You Have Medicare Questions - We Have Answers

  • GA Medicare Plans 2022 – Video and More
  • Medicare Videos
    • Understanding About Medicare – Video
  • Medicare News Blog
  • Medicare Questions
    • Georgia Medicare Supplement Plans
      • Medigap Plan F
      • Medigap High F
      • Medigap Plan N
    • Most Popular Medicare Supplement Plans for 2020
    • Medicare Supplement Rates for 2020 – Instant Quotes
      • Senior Dental Insurance in Georgia
      • Fire Your Medigap Carrier
      • Instant Medigap Rates
      • Georgia Medigap Quotes
      • Macon Medigap Quotes
      • Affordable Medigap Plans?
      • Medicare Supplement Plans 2022
      • Medicare Supplemental Insurance Rate History
      • Blue Cross Georgia Medigap Rates
      • Mutual of Omaha Medicare Supplemental Insurance Rates
    • Sign Up For Medicare
    • Medicare Supplement 2020 – Best Time to Enroll
  • Turning 65 – Choose the Right Medicare Plan
  • Medicare and You
    • What is Medicare Part A Hospital Inpatient
    • Free Report – Navigating the Medicare Maze
    • Medicare Articles 2020
      • Drug Formulary Finder 2020
      • Medicare Handbook
      • Prescription Drug Plans
      • Senior Resources
    • Medicare Video
    • Managing Your Health
    • Medicare Part B
    • Medicare Part C
    • Medicare Part D
    • Cancer Treatment Resources
    • Resources for Diabetics 2020
    • Health Care Checklist
    • Medicare Health Screenings
    • Glossary of Medicare Terms
    • Medicare Basic Benefits
  • Bob Vineyard

AARP – Is It Worth It?

Bob Vineyard · April 6, 2015 ·

aarp

AARP membership is only $16, but is it worth it? What do you really get for your membership fee? How does AARP provider all these benefits for only $16? How is AARP funded? Are their discounts on trips, restaurants and insurance really a good deal? How does Obamacare impact Medicare plans?

Every time you purchase a product endorsed by AARP a portion of the proceeds of the sale are kicked back to the organization.

Can you find better pricing outside of AARP?

Almost everything they promote is priced higher than what you can find in the market place. We specialize in Medicare supplement plans and Part D and can honestly say our Medigap plans are often $30 – $40 per month less than United Healthcare for the exact same plan and coverage.

Shop and compare GA Medigap quotes now. Click for instant rates and side by side comparison.

Georgia Medigap plans & Prices
Georgia Medigap plans & Prices

AARP – Is it worth it?

The $16 annual membership is not going to break the bank for most. But what are you really getting for your money other than a lot of solicitations in the mail.

Have you ever wondered why their publications heavily promote insurance products?

According to a Congressional study by the House Ways and Means Committee, almost 30% of their $1.4 billion in revenue comes from insurance company kickbacks but only 17% came from membership dues.

Health insurance, primarily Medicare products geared toward the retiree, is their big money maker followed by auto insurance. My wife and I have Hartford for our car insurance. When we compared the AARP-Hartford rates to our current rates the AARP rates were $260/year more than we were paying then.

So how about their Medicare products?

In 2015 their popular Medicare Part D drug plan is $27 per month and is virtually identical to a Humana drug plan for $15 monthly. The premium savings alone are considerable but what about your drug OOP (out of pocket)?

grumpy old person

When we compared drug plans for a recent client the United Healthcare (AARP) drug costs were $548 per year vs. $248 for the exact same medications purchased through the lower premium Humana plan. Total savings, over $400.

But what about their Medigap plans? Aren’t they better and lower priced?

All Medigap plans with the same letter are identical in every way except the premium. When you pay more you don’t get more you simply paid too much.

This same client would pay United Healthcare $166 per month for her Medigap plan F but only $126 monthly if she bought the same plan from Aetna.

Combined with the total drug savings my client saved over $900 per year by following my recommendations for her Medicare supplement plan and drug plan vs. “buying direct” via AARP.

AARP Medicare supplement premiums don’t increase as much as other carrier plans.

Yeah, I hear that a lot.

But what do their customers say?

Look at what the folks say on the Consumer Affairs forum.

  • I moved from NEW Hampshire (155.00) monthly for supplemental INS to Maine (122.00) MONTHLY to Florida (384.00 monthly). (Note – United Healthcare premiums are COMMUNITY RATED. Rates will change when you relocate your residence. This is generally NOT true with other carriers).
  • I wanted to know about the costs of the Medicare supplement Plans for 2015. (you included the Apr to Dec 2014 $ in the mailer you sent which is not being truthful like all the other plans that are advertising for our dollars). Since he would not give any info without our AARP member number, and therefore would not disclose any $ info so we might make an intelligent decision as to purchase, I am no longer willing to spend any more money to an outfit that treats anyone (member or not) like a 4th class citizen. (Georgia Medicare Plans has no problem quoting rates by phone and confirming by email. We do this every day. No hassle. It takes about 2 minutes. You can also view some rates online.).
  • I need to make a decision of whether to stay with the supplemental plan to join a Medicare Advantage plan. So long as I do not know what my monthly premium cost is going to be, I cannot make an intelligent decision to stay with United or go with a different plan. I have called United three times since the first of October and they will not even give me a “date” as to when I will receive the information I need.
FB Groucho Marx3

One thing I can say with certain, based on the complaints posted online it seems that many AARP members with Medicare coverage do not understand how their plan works. I don’t know if this is because retirees decide to make a purchase via AARP without bothering to do any research or the information they get from the 1-800 number isn’t a lot of help.

Common complaints that are unwarranted.

  • Medicare approved my claim but United Healthcare denied it. (This can’t happen with ANY Medigap plan. If Medicare approves the claim your supplement plan is required by law to pay their portion.)
  • I was told my premiums would never increase. (You can be told anything but the truth is, Medicare supplement premiums do increase every year with most carriers. A few that haven’t had an increase in a year or more were usually overpriced when the plan was first introduced. Their next increase will probably be a whopper).
  • My plan was cancelled because I got sick. (Nope. Can’t happen. Your plan can only be cancelled when you fail to pay your premium or if ALL plans in your state are cancelled at the same time.).
  • My plan was cancelled when I moved. (Possibly. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan in Atlanta and decide to move to Savannah your plan will be cancelled. United Healthcare only offers their Advantage plans in select counties and zip codes. The good news is, this creates a Special Enrollment Period allowing you to buy ANY plan, including Medigap, that is offered in your new area.).

When you contact Georgia Medicare Plans you get a live person (me) or my voice mail. You never will hear “Press 1 for English” and most calls are returned the same day.

Discounts on travel and restaurants

Some members swear by the discounts on meals, hotels and airline fairs. But do you really need an AARP card to get a discount?

Most grocery stores have senior days with 5% discounts. No card needed.

Restaurants have early bird specials. No card needed.

Want a list of discounts and coupons for retirees, no card needed? Here you go.

  • Brad’s Deals. Save money at restaurants, retail stores, grocery, travel and more.
  • Free4Seniors – Coupons, discounts and freebies galore
  • Gift Card Grannies – Buy and sell store gift cards and save

If you like saving money, and who doesn’t, the Money Talks Newsletter has a monthly newsletter at the right price. FREE.

Check out their site and sign up.

Obamacare and AARP

In case you haven’t noticed, AARP was a very strong supporter of Obamacare. While most of their health insurance business is geared toward the Medicare market the financial gains (and losses) of AARP depend very much on the passage of Obamacare.

limited availability

Obamacare changes for Advantage plans means many Georgia retirees will only have a few plans to pick from in certain counties. United Healthcare only offers traditional Advantage plans in 7 of Georgia’s 159 counties. Another 20 counties or so have AARP – United plans but only for low income and special needs beneficiaries.

Compare that to over 170 different Medigap plans available in every zip and county in Georgia.

If you do call AARP and want information on their Medicare supplement plans, IF you can get a rate, you will probably only be quoted plan F.

Why?

It is the most expensive plan and the one paying the largest kickback to AARP.

Most of our clients have plan G and save even more money vs. plan F.

If you want Medigap plan G from United Healthcare, you can’t get it. Not available.

We have rates from 35 carriers that offer plan F plus 25 that make plan G available. A “typical” plan G premium vs plan G will save an ADDITIONAL $250 per year over the lowest premium plan F.

So why did AARP heavily promote Obamacare?

Knowing that most Advantage plans would be eliminated, AARP wanted to capitalize on their Medigap plans, especially plan F. When we go head to head with United the savings we generate for our clients is significant. The example above that saved our clients over $900 per year is pretty much the norm.

How much can you save?

Shop and compare now.

Your information is NEVER sold.

Click to view instant GA Medigap Quotes.

Georgia Medigap plans & Prices
Georgia Medigap plans & Prices

#AARP #MedicareSupplement #Medigap #GeorgiaMedicarePlans

Medicare, Medicare Supplement Plans AARP, aarp medicare supplement rate, airline discounts, hotel savings, insurance discounts, medigap rates, obamacare, restaurant discounts

2013 Medicare Supplement Rate Increase

Bob Vineyard · June 6, 2013 ·

Most of the 2013 Medicare supplement rate increase adjustments have been processed.

Georgia Medigap rate increrases

How much did your Medigap costs go up? Shop and compare. Blue Cross, Humana, Mutual of Omaha and more had HUGE rate increases. Most  Medicare supplement plan renewals increased by 10% or more.  Free quotes in 60 seconds.

Avoid the Mutual of Omaha trap of overpaying for the EXACT SAME PLAN.

 

Only one carrier has not had a double digit Medicare supplement rate increase in the last 10 years. No one else can make that claim.

For comparison, we use male and female, non-tobacco, age 67 living in Bibb county Georgia using our most popular plan.

Ask for a CUSTOM QUOTE showing plans never illustrated online. SAVE!

 

Click Image Below to Compare Medicare Supplement Costs

Compare Medicare supplement insurance rates

AFLAC

AFLAC can make a similar claim because they have not ever had a rate increase. Of course they only re-introduced Medigap plans in June, 2012 so we expect their rates to increase soon. A lot of people bought because of the name recognition. Their rates were not competitive last year so we don’t expect them to be this year.

AFLAC pulled their Medicare supplement off the market in September. They are not accepting new applications. If you bought an AFLAC plan you should consider switching to another carrier NOW.

Switch and save over $300 per year.

 

AARP – United Healthcare

AARP plans have decent rates for the first 2 years (if you buy when you turn 65) but they get very expensive the longer you keep the plan. Their agents heavily promote Medicare supplement plan F which is always overpriced for the value. We have never failed to save a client money when they switch from United Medigap plan F.

Switch and save over $1000 per year.

 

Aetna

Aetna issued by Continental Life had a Medicare supplement rate increase in April, 2013. Still somewhat competitive but most people can save money by switching plans. They could be beat last year and still can be this year.

Switch and save over $300 per year

 

Blue Cross – BCBSGA

Over the last 10 years Blue Cross Medicare supplement rate increase has been as low as 8% and  high as 13%. Most of the time it is double digit. Blue Cross is usually competitive if you are 80 years old or older but there is real money to be saved if you have not yet reached the 4 score mark.

Did you know BCBSGA pulled two of their more popular plans off the market in October, 2013?

Switch and save over $1000 per year

 

Forethought

A fine company but never a big player in the Medicare supplement market.

Switch and save over $900 per year

 

Gerber 

Another small carrier that have not made much of a dent in the landscape.

Switch and save over $1300 per year

 

Mutual of Omaha – United of Omaha

A very popular (and always pricey) carrier that seems to give out a  Medicare supplement rate Medicare supplement rate increaseincrease without warning. The last increase was in January, 2013.

We showed a south Georgia couple how to save over $1700 per year by making a switch.

Did you know a female, age 67, in Macon Georgia could pay $136 or $177 for the exact same plan from a Mutual of Omaha company. It depends on which rate an agent chooses to show you.

Don’t get caught up in this dirty trick!

How much can YOU save?

 

Royal Neighbors – RNA

A fine fraternal company with a very small market penetration. Rates increased in February of this year

Switch and save over $1200 per year

 

We believe in showing clients ways to save money on their Medigap plans. Almost everyone we talk to was sold an overpriced plan that is weighing them down and sucking money out of their bank account every month.

Georgia Medicare Plans believe you have better things to do with your money than making an insurance carrier rich  (and the agent that sold you the high priced plan).

Stop throwing away money. Compare and start saving now. Click to compare plans and rates.

#2013MedicareSupplementRateIncrease

#MutualofOmahaMedicareSupplementRates

#BCBSGAMedicareSupplementRates

Georgia Medigap Rates, Medicare Supplement Plans, Medigap rates Georgia aarp medicare supplement rate, aflac medicare supplement rate, blue cross medicare supplement rate, humana medicare supplement rate, medicare supplement rates, medigap rates, mutual of omaha medicare supplement rate

Don’t Buy Something You Don’t Need

https://www.georgia-medicareplans.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Buying-Something-You-Dont-Need-GA-Medicare-Plans.mp4

Got a Medicare Question? Get Your Answer by Email.

Search

Current Posts

  • Doctors Take Medicare and are Near Me
  • Concierge Medicine Problems and Medicare
  • How a Medicare Advantage Plan is Not What it Seems
  • Medicare Monthly Payment – Medigap Plans in Georgia
  • Help! We Have No Money for Medicare! Are FREE Medicare Plans an Option?

Copyright © 2022 · Outreach Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in