AARP UHC Medigap Plans - Changing between Plans

[zaqxsw]

I'm in Ohio. Long story, but I just changed to a AARP UHC Medigap Supplemental Plan from another company within one week of my Medigap open enrollment ending. It is finalized and I've paid my first premium.

Out of curiosity, and with some interest in Plan N, I called UHC today and asked what would be involved if I wanted to change my choice of lettered Medigap plans? I said I still had a week of open enrollment before I would be faced with underwriting.

They replied with confidence that it didn't matter, I could change Medigap lettered plans within UHC even if it was 2020! I said I found that hard to believe, and clarified that I was talking about Medigap Plans. They said no problem. I then asked if that meant I could go down in coverage, but not up. Nope, I could go either way! That possibly has huge implications...

I've been in this game of "customer service" across dozens of companies long enough to know the lack of knowledge amongst folks who are suppose to know. The horror stories I could tell...

Anyway, is AARP UHC this flexible It's great, if it's true. Is it just in my state? Is it just because they really like me, since I'm so friendly, cool, and knowledgeable

As if the whole Medicare thing isn't confusing enough: after a year of study, this threw me into another "I don't know sh*t" mental state. Anybody out there that can help me recover my sanity?

 

[kaneohe]

nope.......can't help w/ the sanity thing. However I did switch last yr from F to G (both AARP-UHC) w/o a fuss .......just happened instantly. I did get the impression that later that yr or the next yr it wouldn't necessarily be that easy.
You can call back and talk to another rep and see if you get the same answer
(make sure it's not the same rep), and if you don't, go for a 2/3 vote or a 51/100 decision whichever makes you more comfortable.

 

[Ian S]

When the AARP-UHC Plan G first came out, I had no difficulty in changing to G. But IIRC (and kaneohe seems to remember it the same way) they have made it more difficult. Still, if they claim it's OK to do, then you could always try it and see. Worst case, they would get back to you and say you either can't do it or will require underwriting and at that point you can say forget it. Frankly, I don't see why they would care if you go down in coverage.

 

[MBSC]

Out of curiosity, and with some interest in Plan N, I called UHC today and asked what would be involved if I wanted to change my choice of lettered Medigap plans? I said I still had a week of open enrollment before I would be faced with underwriting.

They replied with confidence that it didn't matter, I could change Medigap lettered plans within UHC even if it was 2020! I said I found that hard to believe, and clarified that I was talking about Medigap Plans. They said no problem. I then asked if that meant I could go down in coverage, but not up. Nope, I could go either way! That possibly has huge implications...

This is an internal policy at UHC and applies to states that do not have special Medigap rules, such as the "birthday rule" in CA and OR. Ohio does not have such rules. Before October 2018, a person could upgrade or downgrade to any plan within UHC. Now, underwriting applies if the person is upgrading or downgrading to Plan G unless the state prohibits underwriting. Some companies will let you downgrade without underwriting but UHC is unique in allowing upgrades. UHC can change their internal policy at any time.

Sometimes when a person calls UHC about this, they are told changes require underwriting but the CSR is mistakenly applying their Plan G rule to all plans. Call back and get a knowledgeable CSR like you got.

 

[zaqxsw]

Sometimes when a person calls UHC about this, they are told changes require underwriting but the CSR is mistakenly applying their Plan G rule to all plans. Call back and get a knowledgeable CSR like you got.

Thanks MBSC! I spoke with another UHC rep. this morning. They confirmed that I can change to any other lettered plan from Plan G. But, they also confirmed what you mentioned: there is a special rule for going to Plan G from any other plan. To do so, you must fill out a new application for Plan G. The application may, or may not, trigger underwriting. It depends on the application (and maybe the history they already have on you?).

They also confirmed that this is subject to change. When asked if I would get advanced notice of such a change, they thought I would.

I wonder if any existing members got a notice on UHC adopting the Plan G rule last year?

 

[Ian S]

They also confirmed that this is subject to change. When asked if I would get advanced notice of such a change, they thought I would.

I wonder if any existing members got a notice on UHC adopting the Plan G rule last year?

I didn't but then I Had already switched to plan G.

 

[zaqxsw]

An interesting implication of this UHC Plan G rule is for the many millions of UHC Plan F members out there.

They may have an issue with switching to Plan G, but none to switching to Plan N. Kind of goes against what some folks are saying who think Plan G is doomed because of future rate increases since becoming a guaranteed issue plan, while Plan N isn't. I think a lot of the folks who will be losing their employer retirement insurance in the future were Medicare eligible prior to 2020, and can't get into a GI Plan G anyway.

While the millions of UHC Plan F members shouldn't have an issue getting into plan N...

I've always known that any thought I have has already been thought of by many, many other folks.

 

[MBSC]

They also confirmed that this is subject to change. When asked if I would get advanced notice of such a change, they thought I would.

I wonder if any existing members got a notice on UHC adopting the Plan G rule last year?

This is incorrect. These are internal rules not found in the Evidence of Coverage so policy holders are not notified. UHC did send a memo to brokers/agents in advance of the October 2018 Plan G change but it's up to each broker to decide if they want to pass the information to their clients. Some broker's did notify their UHC Plan F members that they should consider moving to Plan G before the window closed.