United Healthcare (AARP) Advantage Plans in Sacramento
The Medicare Advantage boom has hit Sacramento! The nation’s largest health insurance carrier, UnitedHealthcare, has launched Medicare Advantage plans in California which offer you many advantages.
Medicare Advantage plans now outnumber Medicare Supplements in total new enrollments!
With Medicare Advantage plans (Medicare Part C) you get the benefits of a bundled Medicare package including:
Medicare Parts A, B, & D combined into a single insurance plan, carrier, and billing statement.
Why UnitedHealthcare in the Sacramento area? Let’s dig deeper into the Medicare Advantage plan offerings UnitedHealthcare provide for you locally.
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS- UnitedHealthcare Sacramento Region
UnitedHealthcare offers certain plan names by county. For Northern California Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado Counties + greater area the plans are called:
PPO UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Choice Plan
HMO AARP Medicare Advantage SecureHorizons Focus 1 (HMO-POS)
HMO AARP Medicare Advantage SecureHorizons Focus 2 (HMO-POS)
HMO UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Assure (HMO)
PPO Plan AARP Unitedhealthcare Medicare Advantage Choice Plan 2
READ MORE DETAILS BELOW!
What benefits and features do you get with UHC Medicare Advantage Plans? Below we break down a summary of each MA plan offered in the Sacramento area, along with some of the most important factors to consider in Medicare plan evaluation.
IMPORTANT FACTORS AND BENEFITS TO CONSIDER
MEDICAL PROVIDERS
What good is your Medicare Advantage plan if your doctors don’t accept it? For each MA plan offered in the Sacramento region we break down the medical groups and hospital systems the plan provides access to.
To check your doctors on UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans contact us and we will show you exactly which plans are contracted for your doctors, medical groups, and hospitals.
You can also submit your doctors here when running an instant quote and we'll automatically quote contracted plans for use with your doctors.
On certain Medicare Advantage plans you get access to the full nationwide network of UnitedHealthcare providers.
Size matters with insurance carriers. UnitedHealthcare insures more Medicare members than any other insurance plan in the nation, at over 13 million members.
TELEHEALTH
UnitedHealthcare offers $0 co-pays for participating doctor plus virtual mental health visits currently on all Sacramento Medicare Advantage Plans. This is a really nice bonus if you are feeling ill so the last thing you want is to visit a public office or emergency room.
Or, if you have a therapy or counseling visit perhaps you’re more comfortable talking with a therapist in the privacy of your own home via video conference.
PRESCRIPTIONS
UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage offers a leading strength in prescription coverage designed to beat a standalone Part D rx plan. Plan designs are built more like a standard prescription coverage you might see at a large employer sponsored plan pre 65 before you retired.
To let get started determining your prescription needs and the best plan available.
UHC Medicare Advantage plans offer you:
$0 Co-pays for an expanded number of medications
$0 deductible on most Medicare Advantage plans
100-day mail order supply
Increased drug formulary list size
HEARING
Select plans offer both hearing consultation visit, testing, and hearing aid coverage. Costs range between the $175 - $1225 co-pay range per hearing aid depending on type and brand. You can fill hearing aids 2 aids per year.
VISION
Vision coverage operates on an allowance basis, which is nice. Let’s say there’s $100 in benefit coverage which is an average number for the plan suite… this means you can use the $100 on eyewear however you choose.
Most standard lenses come at $0 cost on the plan as well.
Vision coverage includes:
-examination
-contacts
-frames/glasses
-prescription sunglasses
DENTAL
UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage in Sacramento offers an interesting strategy: one coverage level for all types of dental expenses.
Typically, a standard dental plan will cover a certain amount toward these categories of dental expense.
preventative care: cleanings, diagnostic
basic care: like fillings, x-rays, and root canals
major: crowns, bridges, implants
Plans with UnitedHealthcare MA dental it’s giving you a flat, designated dollar amount to spend on any and all of these expenses!
*note: ortho and cosmetic services like teeth bleaching are not covered
UCARD
Unitedhealthcare now offers ‘UCARD’ which acts as the Medicare Advantage member id card, but contain the benefits information for the other added coverage the Medicare plan may contain such as:
Eyewear
Over the Counter Medication
Renew Active Fitness Program
Rewards programs
Prescriptions
Dental
Utilities
REWARD OFFERS
Utilizing a members UCARD UHC Medicare enrollees can receive up reward offers by participating in certain programs.
Areas like getting your annual physical or wellness check-up. Receiving a flu shot injection or opting-in to text messaging each add funds. Even something as simple as completing health assessment form.
Participating helps lower the overall cost of delivering Medicare and puts money in your pocket!
UCARD makes it much easier for members to use these additional benefits and funds.
HMO-POS PLANS
What is an HMO-POS plan?
- It is a hybrid HMO/PPO plan design.
- Most of your medical services will come from your primary care doctor and contracted medical group.
- referrals are needed to see a specialist
- POS network is contracted just like a PPO plan where you receive contracted rates for medical expenses with ‘in-network’ medical providers.
- out-of-network coverage is available at greater out of pocket cost via the POS (point of service) function of the plan. This is typically coordinated by your primary care medical group.
REGIONS AVAILABLE
PPO Medicare Advantage Plan Name available by County
Ever wonder why in an instant quoting engine website only certain plans will show online? This is typically due to a plan’s availability, whether it’s by product availability area, age, or another factor.
PPO UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Plan Name & Availability by County in the Sacramento region.
Sacramento UHC Medicare Advantage plans Sacramento, Placer, Stanislaus, San Juaquin, Yolo
PPO AARP UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Choice 2 Plan: Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado
This Medicare PPO plan has zero monthly premium and a $6,700 max out of pocket annually on medical expenses.
In a nutshell, the out-of-pocket maximum risk is a little higher, but you pay $0 monthly premiums for the plan and get national PPO provider access.
In the Sacramento region if you want a PPO Medicare Advantage Plan at Unitedhealthcare and are running a generic online quote, the AARP Unitedhealthcare Medicare Advantage Plan 2 is the offered PPO plan.
This is a good plan if you want PPO coverage, access to the UnitedHealthcare national PPO network, and other benefits added in addition to Original Medicare coverage (see below).
This PPO plan includes Medicare Part D prescription coverage and does not require a referral to see a specialist physician.
ADDED BENEFITS
DENTAL Preventative dental covered: Zero co-pay!! Platinum Dental Rider available. Platinum Dental Rider gives member the same dental coverage available in the enhanced dental coverage.
VISION Up to $100 in total coverage. But if you buy standard lenses it’s a $0 co-pay.
HEARING AID 2 hearing aids per year. Co-Pays are available between $175 and $1225 per device depending on type.
FITNESS UnitedHealthcare’s Renew Active Fitness program
Counties Available: Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, Stanislaus, San Juaquin + more
Medicare Advantage Choice PPO is $43 monthly premiums and $5900 for out-of-pocket maximum.
Medicare Advantage Choice PPO allows open access to UnitedHealthcare PPO Medicare providers nationally without a referral.
Both Sacramento area UHC Medicare Advantage PPO Plans include rich additional benefit plans such as:
OTHER BENEFITS
- VISION
- DENTAL
- EYEWEAR
- HEARING AID
- FITNESS
- OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS
You can also set up request to see any doctor who accepts Medicare & visit specialists without a primary care doctor referral.
Important to note: The specialist may still require a referral, but the UHC Medicare Advantage plan PPO won’t!
This is the stronger HMO SecureHorizons plan which lowers the out-of-pocket medical expense maximum to $3,900. Premiums rise to $87 monthly but if you want access to some of the premier medical providers in the area this is your HMO plan.
For UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Secure Horizons HMO plan you are paying for a variety of benefits.
First off, the medical provider network is UHC’s strongest available in the greater Sacramento region. (Includes Sacramento, Placer, and Yolo counties)
The SecureHorizons Medicare Advantage HMO plan is built around providing Full Provider Network access to premier medical providers participating in the Unitedhealthcare Medicare Advantage program.
Other benefits added to the plan in addition to Original Medicare:
DENTAL: $500. This means you can use a $500 allowance or credit towards your dental expenses as you choose with zero out of pocket on the way up. A ‘Platinum’ level dental rider is also an option to purchase in addition.
VISION/EYEWEAR: For vision care or eyewear you get up to $100 each year again with zero out of pocket until reached. It also includes standard lenses benefit at no charge.
HEARING AIDS: Secure Horizons HMO-POS includes coverage for hearing aids at a co-pay range of $175 to $1225 per device depending on type and function.
FITNESS: UnitedHealthcare offers a fitness program added to Original Medicare benefits called RENEW ACTIVE FITNESS.
Are you a SUTTER HEALTH patient? This plan may be for you!
People typically receive medical care from a single set of doctors, medical group, and hospital.
Utilizing one medical group or system makes sense for the purposes of simplicity and coordination in medical care.
Your doctors know you, your history, and medical conditions.
If you’ve determined Sutter Health is the best medical system for you, UnitedHealthcare has designed the Focus Medicare Advantage Focus 1 HMO- POS. (Hybrid HMO/PPO plan)
The Focus Medicare Advantage plans are designed for very specific needs in mind.
- Coordinated Sutter Health medical group, physicians, and hospital care.
- Low out of pocket medical expense risk at $3900 per year total out of pocket medical expenses.
- Additional Ancillary plans were added to the Medicare Advantage plan including Dental, Vision, Hearing, and Fitness program.
This plan is available in Sacramento, Placer, and Yolo counties.
What about Hill Physicians and Dignity Health / Mercy system?
No problem solving this need either.
This plan is for you!
The Secure Horizons Focus 2 (HMO-POS) plan is built around coordinating care at Hill Physicians Medical Group in Sacramento utilizing Dignity Health / Mercy Hospitals.
Premiums are $0 per month. That’s only half the good news!
Deductible is $0 as well. That means the plan helps you with the first dollar of medical cost out of pocket.
You get the benefit of a zero-dollar premium plan, zero deductible, and a low out of pocket maximum of $3400 for total annual medical expenses.
Secure Horizons Focus 2 Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees are also getting access to Dignity Health Hospital and Physicians Medical Group, the second largest hospital provider in the nation.
UHC Secure Horizons Focus 2 Medicare Advantage Plan is available for the Sacramento North Valley region in both Sacramento & Placer counties.
Remember, you have to use Hill Physicians Medical Group as your primary care medical group on this plan!
HMO UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage Assure (HMO)
Are you eligible for both Medicare and Medi-Cal (Medi-Caid)?
Known as ‘Dual Eligible’, Medicare and Medi-Caid enrollees can utilize the Medicare Advantage Assure HMO plan.
BENEFITS
One thing to like about the Full Dual coverage is a lot of $0 listed as co-pays for ‘Full Duals.’
When talking Medicare Advantage out of pocket medical expenses in Sacramento, zeros are good.
This means your ‘dual eligible’, Medi/Medi= Medicare + Medi-Cal eligible status gets you a lot of medical expense type areas where you’re typically not paying anything out of pocket.
The Medicare Advantage Assure HMO is available in the Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado counties (and some others) in the greater Sacramento area, plus many others.
Like most of UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans, The Assure HMO in Sacramento County is loaded with other plan benefits in addition to Original Medicare. Let’s cover those now.
OTHER BENEFITS
Any interest in an extra $110 per quarter in account credit to spend on essentials? Who wouldn’t be.
UnitedHealthcare has added Utility coverage to already available Over the Counter items and Healthy Food account credit on their UCARD. Some examples of qualified expenses:
FOOD
Healthy grocery food items like fresh fruit and vegetables
OVER THE COUNTER
Essentials not covered by a prescription plan such as nutritional vitamins & toothpaste
UTILITIES
Heating, air conditioning, electricity, & water. Even the internet.
Questions? Contact Us with any Medicare questions.