AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance 2024 Review

AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance pros and cons

Our full review

AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance from UnitedHealthcare rating

AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance from UnitedHealthcare earned 5 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account pricing, coverage options, online quote availability, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more.

Based on these ratings, AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance tops our list of the best Medicare Supplement Insurance companies.

AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance plans

AARP’s Medicare Supplement Insurance plans are insured exclusively by UnitedHealthcare, which is the largest seller of Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, and of Medicare Advantage plans^[0]

AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance from UnitedHealthcare offers these Medigap plan types in at least some locations for any Medicare member:

• Medigap Plan A — the basic benefits included in every Medigap plan without any extras.

• Medigap Plan B — basic benefits plus coverage for the Medicare Part A deductible.

• Medigap Plan G — the highest-coverage option available to new Medicare members.

• Medigap Plan K — the lowest-cost Medigap plan, with 50% coverage for most benefits.

• Medigap Plan L — a low-cost option with 75% coverage for most benefits.

• Medigap Plan N — a plan with lower premiums but higher copays.

Medigap Plan C and Medigap Plan F are also available for beneficiaries who were eligible to enroll in Medicare prior to 2020. Newer Medicare members can’t buy these plans from any insurance company.

In addition, AARP offers plans in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin according to each state's Medigap plan standards, which differ from the standardization system used in the majority of the country.

Medicare Select policies add network requirements

AARP and UnitedHealthcare offer Medicare Select policies in some locations. These plans cover the same Medicare services as any Medigap plan of the same type, but they require beneficiaries to get inpatient services from in-network hospitals and health care providers.

In exchange for the network restrictions, Select plans may offer lower premiums than their non-Select counterparts.

If you have a Medicare Select plan and get services from an out-of-network hospital, you become responsible for the Medicare Part A deductible, which is $1,632 in 2024 ($1,676 in 2025). Exceptions are available for emergency services, services not available from an in-network hospital and when you’re more than 100 miles from home.

Select plans aren’t available in all areas or for all Medigap plan types. Enter your ZIP code on UnitedHealthcare’s website to check what’s available to you and to compare prices for Select and non-Select plans.

Cost for AARP Medigap plans

Premiums for AARP Medicare Supplement Plans from UnitedHealthcare aren’t the lowest, but they’re also far from the highest. AARP's premiums for Plan G were about 24% higher than the least expensive option in the area, and premiums for Plan N were about 34% higher.

Plan G

Plan N

AARP membership

You need to have an AARP membership to enroll in an AARP-branded insurance policy. An AARP membership typically costs $16 per year. Discounts are available if you sign up for automatic renewal or longer membership terms.

Discounts

Here are several discounts AARP and UnitedHealthcare offer to some Medicare Supplement Insurance applicants:

• Multiple policies: Qualifying members can get a discount on monthly premiums if two or more members with the same AARP membership number have eligible AARP-branded Medigap policies. This discount can’t be combined with the household discount.

• Household: Qualifying members can get a discount on monthly premiums if they live with another household member who is also an AARP member. This discount can’t be combined with the multiple policy discount.

• Electronic funds transfer: Qualifying members can get a discount on monthly premiums for paying with an electronic funds transfer from their bank account.

Available discounts may vary according to factors such as your location, household status and how you apply for a policy.

UnitedHealthcare member complaints

47% fewer complaints than average

Members file complaints about AARP Medicare Supplement Insurance plans at a rate almost 47% below the average for all Medigap plans, according to 2022 and 2023 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for UnitedHealthcare and its subsidiaries that sell Medigap policies^[0]

NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC.

UnitedHealthcare’s spending on care

81.5% for member benefits

AARP Medigap plans spent 81.5% of premiums on member benefits, according to the most recent annual data^[0]

Medicare Supplement Insurance companies are required to report data on the premiums they collect and how much they spend to provide benefits for members. The minimum required by law for individual Medigap policies is 60%^[0]

Additional benefits

Medigap plans have standardized Medicare benefits, but companies can offer additional perks. Here are examples of extra benefits available with some AARP Medigap policies:

• 24/7 nurse line: Members can call to speak with a nurse to ask questions, discuss concerns or get help accessing community resources.

• Gym memberships: Some plans include gym memberships at no additional cost.

• Discounts for dental, hearing and vision: Some plans include discounts on dental services, eye exams, eyewear and hearing devices from certain providers.

• Driver safety course: Some plans grant members access to the AARP Smart Driver course. Completing that course might help members qualify for auto insurance discounts.

Note: In some cases, extra perks are included only in plans sold with the “+ wellness extras” label. In most cases, these extras carry an additional cost over a version of the same plan without the extras. However, in some states, such as California, there is no option — plans automatically include the extras even though there’s no “+ wellness extras” label.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Supplement Insurance service area

AARP offers UnitedHealthcare-insured Medicare Supplement Insurance plans in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., and certain U.S. territories.

UnitedHealthcare is by far the largest Medicare Supplement Insurance company. The company covers about 4.4 million Medigap beneficiaries, and its share of the total Medicare Supplement Insurance market is about 33.4%^[0]

UnitedHealthcare Medigap customer service

Here’s how AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medigap members can contact customer service:

• Call UnitedHealthcare Medicare Supplement Insurance customer service at 800-523-5800 (TTY dial 711 and follow the prompts).

• Get help online by logging into UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Supplement member site.

Read the NerdWallet reviews of these other AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medicare offerings:

• UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage.

• AARP Medicare Advantage.

• AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medicare Part D.