Insurance

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans [1] and offers plans in two-thirds of counties in the United States. UnitedHealthcare also partners with AARP, insuring the Medicare products that carry the AARP name. Three-quarters of UnitedHealthcare members are in highly rated plans, and UnitedHealthcare gets high marks overall. But the provider ranks fourth…

Aetna, a CVS Health company since 2018, is the fourth-largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans. The company offers a strong array of benefits, with most plans including dental, vision and hearing coverage, and many plans offering additional (and valuable) perks. They’re also largely low cost, with an estimated 80% of Medicare beneficiaries having access to a…

Medicare covers much of the cost of physical therapy when it’s medically necessary. And it often is necessary for people age 65 and older. In 2019 nearly 3 million Medicare beneficiaries received PT for injury or illness or during surgical recovery, to reduce pain and increase mobility. What coverage does Original Medicare provide for physical…

Both Medicare Part D plans — also called Medicare drug plans — and Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage cover the shingles vaccine, which prevents shingles infections and is approved for use by people 50 and older. Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) doesn’t provide coverage. About the shingles vaccine Shingrix, the shingles vaccine recommended by the Centers…

Original Medicare doesn’t pay for routine eye exams unless you’re known to be in a high-risk group for eye disease — although some Medicare Advantage plans do include vision coverage. Because some potentially serious eye conditions aren’t apparent to the patient in their early stages, when treatment could prevent or reduce loss of vision, it…

Comparing Medicare Advantage Plans and Medicare Part D drug plans means taking a look at prescription drug coverage, copays and coinsurance costs, the plan’s network of doctors and service area. But there’s another metric you should consider when making your decision: the plan’s star rating. What is the Medicare star rating system? As with most…