AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medicare Plan F

UnitedHealthcare sells Medicare Supplement Insurance (or “Medigap”) through a partnership with AARP. Plan F has long been the plan with the highest share of Medicare Supplement plan enrollment.

In this AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medigap Plan F review, we examine the most popular Medicare Supplement plan, including eligibility rules and what it covers. 

What Does AARP Plan F Cover?

Medicare Supplement Insurance helps pay for your Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) out-of-pocket costs. These plans are often called “Medigap” because they pay for some of the gaps left open by Original Medicare, such as deductibles, copays and coinsurance.

There are 10 different types of standardized Medigap plans available in most states, and the benefits offered by each type of plan are the same no matter which insurance company is selling them. 

There are nine types of Medicare costs that may be covered by a Medigap plan, and each plan offers its own combination of either full, partial or no coverage across these areas. Plan F is the only plan to offer coverage of all nine types of costs. 

Here is what’s fully covered by AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medicare Supplement Plan F, unless otherwise noted.

What is the Medicare Part A Coinsurance?

Medicare Part A charges $408 per day for inpatient care during days 61-90 of a benefit period in 2024, and $816 per day beyond 90 days. Plan F fully covers these costs.

What is the Medicare Part B Coinsurance?

Medicare Part B typically charges a 20% coinsurance payment for covered services after the annual deductible has been met. Plan F covers your Part B coinsurance costs in full.

First Three Pints Of Blood

Medicare does not cover the first three pints of blood needed for a blood transfusion if they’re not provided for free by your hospital. Plan F fully covers the costs for the first three pints.

Part A Hospice Care Coinsurance And Copayments

Hospice care under Part A requires small copayments (no more than $5) for prescription drugs and other products used for pain relief and symptom control. Inpatient respite care requires a 5% coinsurance payment. Plan F fully covers these costs.

Skilled Nursing Facility Care Coinsurance

Medicare Part A charges up to $204 per day for days 21-100 of a skilled nursing facility stay in 2024. You’re responsible for all costs beyond 100 days. With Plan F, these costs coinsurance costs would be fully covered.

Part A Deductible

Medicare Part A charges a $1,632 deductible for each “benefit period” in 2024. A beneficiary may experience more than one benefit period in a calendar year, each one coming with its own $1,632 deductible. Plan F fully covers your Part A deductible.

Part B Deductible

Medicare Part B charges an annual deductible of $240 in 2024. Plan F covers the Part B deductible in full. 

Part B Excess Charges

Certain health care providers can charge up to 15% more than the Medicare-approved amount for their services or items. If you face Medicare excess charges, Plan F covers them in full.

Foreign Travel Emergency Care

Original Medicare doesn’t typically cover emergency care received outside of the U.S. Plan F covers 80% of the costs for foreign emergency care when you travel or spend time abroad.

Why Is Medicare Plan F Being Phased Out?

You may have heard that Plan F is no longer available or is being phased out. That is only partly true. 

Medigap Supplement Plan F is no longer available to anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. But if you were eligible for Medicare before that date, even if you weren’t enrolled, you are still eligible to purchase Plan F if it's available where you live.

The change in eligibility is the result of 2015 legislation aimed at curbing medical overspending and overuse of the healthcare system. Medigap Plan F (and Plan C) offer “first dollar coverage” of Medicare Part B services and items, meaning plan members can bypass the annual deductible. Stripping Medigap’s ability to cover the Medicare Part B annual deductible aligned with the goals of the legislation. 

And because Plan F and Plan C are the only Medigap plans that provide coverage of the Medicare Part B deductible, these plans were phased out for incoming beneficiaries but grandfathered in for existing beneficiaries. If you already have Plan F or Plan C, you can keep either plan.

Who Is Eligible For AARP/UnitedHealthcare Plan F?  

To be eligible for Medicare Supplement Insurance, you must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B. 

To be eligible for Plan F, you must have been eligible for Medicare prior to Jan. 1, 2020. 

And to be eligible for AARP/UnitedHealthcare Plan F, you must live in an area in which AARP/UnitedHealthcare sells Plan F and you must also be an AARP member. 

Does AARP Still Offer Plan F?

AARP/UnitedHealthcare still offers Plan F for those who are eligible to enroll. 

How Much Does AARP Plan F Cost?

Because Plan F offers the most coverage of any Medigap plan, and because Plan F applicants must be slightly older than those of other plans due to the eligibility rule, premiums for Plan F tend to be higher than other Medicare Supplement plans. 

AARP/UnitedHealthcare Plan F premiums can be affected by location, gender and age.

It’s also worth noting that you must be an AARP member to enroll in AARP Plan F. An annual membership with AARP is $16.  

Does AARP/UnitedHealthcare Plan F Offer Any Extra Benefits?

In some locations, AARP/UnitedHealthcare offers two versions of Plan F. In addition to the standard version, there may also be a “wellness extras” version that comes with a gym membership and discounts on dental, hearing and vision care. 

The wellness extra plan versions come with slightly higher premiums than the standard version. 

When Can I Enroll in AARP/UnitedHealthcare Plan F?

Technically speaking, you can enroll in AARP/UnitedHealthcare Plan F at any time of year. However, the best time to do so is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. 

This enrollment period begins when you are at least 65 years old and enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B. Your Medigap OEP only lasts for six months.

During your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, you have guaranteed issue rights, which protect you from medical underwriting that can increase your premiums if you are in poor health.

What If I’m Not Eligible to Enroll in Medigap Plan F?

If you were not eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020, you will not be eligible to enroll in Plan F.

However, Medicare Plan G offers nearly identical coverage to Plan F and is available for all Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and up to apply wherever the plan is sold.

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