AARP MedicareComplete plans are forms of Medicare Advantage health care insurance plans. Medicare Advantage plans are offered through private companies, which develop agreements with Medicare to provide some Medicare benefits to those who sign up with them. The AARP MedicareComplete plans are available through the insurance provider UnitedHealthcare. Some medical care services continue to be covered through Medicare instead of a MedicareComplete plan, such as hospice care.
AARP MedicareComplete incorporates both Medicare Part A, which concerns hospital coverage and nursing care, and Medicare Part B, which concerns doctor coverage, lab tests and screenings, into a single plan. Plan participants pay no deductible for eligible health care costs, and an annual maximum is set for out-of-pocket costs, limiting the medical expenses participants pay in a year. They receive routine eye exams, access to a nurse by phone around the clock and coverage for emergency care anywhere in the world.
Some AARP MedicareComplete plans include additional benefits that other plans do not offer. These benefits include annual hearing exams, wellness programs and prescription drug coverage, including prescriptions through the PharmacySaver program, and access to more than 65,000 retail pharmacies in the United States. Some versions of AARP MedicareComplete charge only a monthly premium equal to the standard Part B premium amount of $134 (or higher depending on how much you earn). However, if you receive Social Security benefits, you will pay less than this amount, about $130 on average.
AARP MedicareComplete has open eligibility requirements. You must be eligible for both Medicare A and B coverage to enroll in a MedicareComplete plan. You do not have to take a physical examination to enroll in the plan, and you will not be denied coverage for most pre-existing conditions, according to AARP MedicareComplete. The exception is that you may not be eligible for the plan if you have end-state renal disease, which is the case with other Medicare Advantage plans, too.
UnitedHealthcare offers four types of MedicareComplete plans. One type is HMO plans, which are health maintenance organizations that require participants to pursue care within a network of providers. Another type is point-of-service plans, which maintains a network of providers but allows participants to seek coverage for certain services outside of the network for a higher price. The third type is the preferred provider organization, which allows participants to seek a provider for any covered service outside of the network; this comes with higher costs for participants. The fourth type is private fee-for-service, which provides the most flexibility in choosing your desired doctor who takes Medicare and accepts the plan's payment terms.
Tom Gresham is a freelance writer and public relations specialist who has been writing professionally since 1999. His articles have appeared in "The Washington Post," "Virginia Magazine," "Vermont Magazine," "Adirondack Life" and the "Southern Arts Journal," among other publications. He graduated from the University of Virginia.
