Is AARP A Front For United Healthcare Insurance Company?......

[global1]

I just saw a commercial for AARP Supplemental Insurance and they mentioned United Healthcare.

So what is going on. Big insurance is spending $1.4 million a week to lobby against health reform and AARP has a commercial campaign on supporting healthcare reform and clarifying misconceptions.

I don't know if I trust them?

[bkkyosemite]

1. AARP sells insurance coverage for Medicare supplemental...

And car insurance for those 55 and over....

[nightrain]

2. isn't that quaint how private insurance has a foothold in public Medicare...

now, how did that happen? was it intentional? Yes, AARP is primarily a seller of insurance, besides the promotion they do for those over 55.

[global1]

3. But Again - It Looks Like United Healthcare Is The Underwriter For AARP's Plan(s)........

So - again - whose side is AARP on in this debate?

Big Insurance or We The People (Old People).

Is AARP supporting health reform - strictly a PR ploy?

[nightrain]

6. that's true. I know from family experience.

AARP sells insurance, so connect the dots...

[glinda]

9. AARP in conjunction with UH, created the donut hole. They are pushing add ons with

people's medicare/insurance. They also rep other insurance. We dropped our membership two years ago when we went for the free help with taxes. The fellow made mistakes four times so we had to make four trips to correct it. Then they entered in my wrong name. There are some good things about AARP but I cannot name exactly what they are except that it has a lot of members so they say they have a lot of clout.

[madrchsod]

4. my parents had aarp sup...it was great

they never paid a dime out of pocket. the biggest problem they had was paying for medications.

there`s a provision in the bill to modify the supplemental payment...it`s a very complicated system and i think the modification will make it simpler

[rucky]

5. This may lend some insight...

http://www.aarphealthcare.com/marketing/uhg/50to64ProductsUnavailable.aspx

[rurallib]

7. Product unavailable?

[rucky]

11. All of their insurance products are unavailable.

May be a computer error. May be a political falling out.

:shrug:

[csziggy]

8. Not really - AARP had other plans, but I guess UHC came up with the best contract for now

I do have to say that when our health insurance was though United Healthcare back in 2001-2002, it was the best experience I ever had with health insurance. But my husband's employer had made a special deal with UHC, AND since that was the first company UHC signed on in this area there were no 'plan' providers so our choices were unlimited. No deductibles and my co-pay for a major surgery with three days in the hospital was $50.

I thought AARP had various plans available through various providers - but I have not checked since we're not eligible yet. For instance, one of their plans for ages 50-64 is through Aetna, according to their website: http://products.aarp.org/health/?intcmp=RR_HP_HEALTH_040109

[ellenfl]

10. united healthcare sells health insurance through aarp and

the hartford sells car insurance through them. so, yes, aarp has a connection to united healthcare. i don't know what that means in terms of their stand on health insurance reform. i CAN tell you that uhc was my insurance company when i cobra'd and that they were required by florida law to offer me an individual policy which i bought. they normally do not offer individual policies in florida. the premium went from $260/mo to $680/mo within 5 years. needless to say, i dropped them. btw, i DID like them while i had them.

i tried getting an individual policy through bcbs but was turned down because i had breast implant surgery in 1976 and a benign nodule removed from my thyroid in 1987. no exceptions, just flat turned down. so i got on my boyfriend's policy and guess who his insurance company is! poetic justice. before i got on my bf's policy, i was going to opt for aarp's catastrophic policy and pay for doctor visits on my own (cheaper than $680/mo!) . . . and hope that i did not need any expensive tests or procedures that did not fall under the catastrophic guidelines.

as for insurance competition, there are only 2-3 companies that offer individual coverage in florida and none of it is reasonably priced. how's that for free market competition!

oops! looks like i hijacked this thread. sorry.

ellen fl