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Quick UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans review
UnitedHealthcare logo UnitedHealthcare offers a broad variety of services to its customers and has one of the largest provider networks for Medicare Advantage Plans in the U.S.
Medicare rating: 3.5 stars A.M. Best financial strength rating: A BBB rating: Not rated NCQA rating: 3 to 4 stars Consumer Affairs rating: 3.7 J.D. Power ranking: 8th out of 10

As the largest health insurance company based in the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers trustworthy services to 35 states. The company has a wide selection of options designed to fit a variety of customers’ needs, making it relatively easy to find a good Medicare Advantage Plan. In recent years, UnitedHealthcare has focused on plans with $0 copays and low monthly premiums. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with all of the options offered by UnitedHealthcare before you make a purchasing decision.

What do UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans cover?

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans are comparable in their scope of coverage to other Medicare Advantage Plans, offering all the benefits of Original Medicare, along with coverage for additional health services. Medicare Advantage Plans, also called Medicare Part C, often include prescription drugs, vision, and dental coverage, and wellness programs. Your out-of-pocket costs depend on the plan you choose, as do rules for how you get services, such as whether you have to choose a primary care doctor or get a referral to see a specialist.

Your hospital and medical insurance are covered and you’ll get prescription drug coverage with most plans. Additional benefits from UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans may include, depending on your plan:

  • Dental care ($0 copay on dental exams in network)
  • Vision (no cost exams and eyewear)
  • Hearing (no cost exams, discounts on hearing aids)
  • Gym memberships and access to digital workout videos
  • Wellness classes and home wellness visits
  • Money toward over-the-counter products
  • Telehealth
  • 24/7 nurse line
  • Transportation to doctor’s visits
  • Insulin Savings Program
  • Renew Active Rewards Program
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What are United Healthcare Medicare Advantage Plan options?

UnitedHealthcare offers several Medicare Advantage Plans, including Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) options, and dual eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs). While monthly premiums and annual maximum out-of-pocket costs vary from plan to plan, HMOs tend to be the least expensive. HMOs require you to find service within the network. PPOs come with higher annual maximums and allow you to choose any participating provider, although in-network providers are less expensive.

All of UnitedHealthcare’s plans come with a $0 annual medical deductible, $0 copays for primary care office visits, and free telehealth services.

Compare these five UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plan options:

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans
Plan Name Monthly premium Annual deductible Office visits Annual maximum out-of-pocket cost
AARP Medicare Advantage Choice (PPO) $38 $0

$195 (drug)

 $0 primary / $40 specialist $3,900 in network

$6,700 in and out of network combined
AARP Medicare Advantage Walgreens (PPO) $0 $0

$250 (drug)

 $0 primary / $45 specialist $5,900 in network

$6,700 in and out of network combined
AARP Medicare Advantage Assure (PPO) $29.10 $0

$480 (drug)

 $0 primary/

%20 coinsurance

specialist

 $7,550 in network

$11,300 in and out of network combined
AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 1 (HMO) $26 $0

$195 (drug)

 $0 primary / $45 specialist $3,900
AARP Medicare Advantage Access (HMO) $0 $0

$100 (drug)

 $0 primary / $35 specialist $2,950

*Based on pricing in Chicago, IL in 2022

Pros and cons of UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans

What we like about UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans: The drawbacks of UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans:
  • $0 annual deductibles and free telehealth services
  • A wide range of options that fit diverse needs and budgets
  • Specialized plans for dental, eyewear, insulin, and other needs
  • Large provider network
  • Monthly premiums are a bit higher than average
  • Plans are not offered in all states

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans reviews and ratings

UnitedHealthcare can be counted on to offer trustworthy service, with mostly positive ratings from leading organizations. While customer ratings sometimes tended to be more moderate, the overall trend points to above-average quality services.

Trusted ratings and reviews can help you understand how an insurer’s plans stack up against the competition. See how Medicare, A.M. Best, the Better Business Bureau and more rate UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plans.

Medicare rating: 3.5 stars For 2021, UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans received an overall rating of 3.5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
A.M. Best financial strength rating: A- A.M. Best sets credit ratings for insurers. In December 2020, A.M. Best affirmed it’s A Financial Strength Rating (FSR) to the majority of the health subsidiaries for UnitedHealth Group, collectively referred to as United Healthcare. An A rating indicates UnitedHealthcare has an excellent ability to meet financial obligations.
BBB rating: Not rated UnitedHealthcare and Unitedhealth Group are not accredited or rated by the Better Business Bureau. There have been 828 complaints closed in the last three years.
NCQA rating: 3 – 4 stars On average, the National Committee for Quality Assurance rates Unitedhealthcare’s plans at three to four out of five stars. Most plans are NCQA-accredited and have mid to high-performance ratings across the three metrics, which include Consumer Satisfaction, Prevention, and Treatment.
Consumer Affairs rating: 3.7 According to Consumer Affairs, UnitedHealthcare has an overall satisfaction rating of 3.7 out of five stars. This score is based on 1,211 ratings posted within the last year. Consumer reviews range from very positive for excellent coverage to very negative for poor customer service and claims handling.
J.D. Power ranking: 8th out of 10 In its 2021 Medicare Advantage Study, J.D. Power measured Medicare Advantage Plan satisfaction based on coverage and benefits, provider choice, cost, customer service, information and communication, and billing and payment. Unitedhealthcare scored 795 points out of 1,000 and came in eighth out of the top 10 Medicare Advantage providers.
author-img
LeRon Moore
Medicare consultant

LeRon Moore has guided Medicare beneficiaries and their families as a Medicare professional since 2007. First as a Medicare provider enrollment specialist and now a Medicare account executive, Moore works directly with Medicare beneficiaries to ensure they understand Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans.

Moore holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University and is A+ Certified with a Medical Records Clerk Certification and Medical Terminology Certification from Midlands Technical College.

He’s passionate about educating, informing, and resolving issues concerning Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans, and considers it imperative that he does all he can to educate and inform the senior community as much as possible about Medicare.

author-img
LeRon Moore
Medicare consultant

LeRon Moore has guided Medicare beneficiaries and their families as a Medicare professional since 2007. First as a Medicare provider enrollment specialist and now a Medicare account executive, Moore works directly with Medicare beneficiaries to ensure they understand Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans.

Moore holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University and is A+ Certified with a Medical Records Clerk Certification and Medical Terminology Certification from Midlands Technical College.

He’s passionate about educating, informing, and resolving issues concerning Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans, and considers it imperative that he does all he can to educate and inform the senior community as much as possible about Medicare.

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