UnitedHealthcare - the health benefits segment of
UnitedHealth Group Inc. ( UNH ) -
has come out with its Medicare portfolio for 2013. It has also
disclosed a low-cost Part-D Plan as well as its preferred pharmacy
network, which will enable its medicare consumers to achieve
greater cost benefits.
The company offers its medicare plans under the American
Association of Retired Persons (AARP) brand - the most trusted
brand in America.
UnitedHealth has devised its plan in such a way that it attracts
baby boomers who have already became eligible for medicare last
year, and also provide better service to its current 49 million
beneficiaries. The company's Medicare products are also planned to
offer stability, value and reliability to its more than 10 million
plan participants.
Current medicare beneficiaries have the option to make changes
to their current health plans during the Open Enrollment Period,
which will start from October 15, 2012.
UnitedHealthcare will launch the AARP MedicareRx Saver Plus
(PDP) plan. The new plan with $15 premium will be the lowest
lowest-cost Part D prescription drug plan and will enable consumers
to save on both their monthly premium as well as on their
prescription copays.
UnitedHealth's vast preferred pharmacy network is spread around
14,600 retail locations across the country and includes retailers
such as Walgreen Co. ( WAG ),
The Kroger Co. ( KR ),
Target Corp. ( TGT ),
Safeway Inc. ( SWY ),
Publix, Stop & Shop, Hy-Vee, H-E-B, Hannaford, Wegmans, Giant,
Duane Reade, Fred Meyer, Smith's, Fry's, Vons, Sweetbay and many
others, which are also expected to provide cost-savings
opportunities to members of its stand-alone Part D plans in
2013.
All the three classes of enrollees - Enhanced, Preferred and
Saver Plus under the AARP MedicareRx Part D plans will have the
opportunity to get discounts on their copays if they buy medicines
from any of the retail shop under the company's preferred pharmacy
network.
Apart from the preferred pharmacy network the company will
continue to offer broad coverage with more than 65,000 network
pharmacies in 2013. The company also provides its members the
service of receiving medicines by mails wherein they can receive
medicines by post within 90 days for generic drugs for $0 copay if
purchased from UnitedHealthcare's preferred mail-service pharmacy -
OptumRx.
Regarding UnitedHealth's Medicare Advantage plans a product in
which it holds a place, it will offer the product in 47 states and
the District of Columbia in 2013. In the areas where the company
will provide its standard Medicare Advantage plans, more than 92%
of Medicare-eligible individuals will have access to a
UnitedHealthcare plan with monthly premium not more than the
regular Medicare plan.
In spite of carrying a the same premium as that of a regular
medicare plan, the Medicare Advantage plan members will receive
greater benefits and services such as coverage of gym memberships,
dental and vision care, and custom-programmed hearing devices.
Moreover, Medicare Advantage plan members can also save their
money by reducing out of pocket costs on buying drugs if they have
bought drug coverage and buy medicines at designated pharmacies.
UnitedHealth's pharmacy saver plan will also be expanded to
cover double the existing locations, enabling a greater number of
Medicare advantage enrollees to save their costs.
UnitedHealth will also provide more facilities via Care
Improvement Plus plans and Preferred Care Medicare Advantage plan
and AARP Medicare Supplement plans in 2013.
With the Open Enrollment Period starting soon, other players
like Aetna Inc. ( AET ),
Humana Inc. ( HUM )
will also disclose their Medicare plans.
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