AARP MedicareRx Preferred (Enhanced PDP) A 2023 Medicare Part D Plan Review
AARP MedicareRx Preferred is a 2023 Enhanced Medicare Part DMedicare Part D plans are an option Medicare beneficiaries can use to get prescription drug coverage. Part D plans provide cost-sharing on covered medications in four different phases: deductible, initial coverage, coverage gap, and catastrophic. Each... plan (S5820-019) from UnitedHealthcare that's available to people with Medicare Part A and/or Part B or a Medicare Advantage plan that does not include prescription benefits.
This is a cost-sharing plan that has an initial coverage limitOnce you have met your yearly deductible, you will pay a copayment or coinsurance for each covered drug until you reach the initial coverage limit. You will then enter your plan’s coverage gap (aka, “donut... of $4,660 and a $0.00 annual deductibleA deductible is an amount a beneficiary must pay for their health care expenses before the health insurance policy begins to pay its share.. CMS rated this plan 3.5 (Above Average) out of 5 stars.
Key Takeaways
- This is an enhanced benefit Medicare Part D plan from UnitedHealthcare.
- Enhanced benefit plans, like AARP MedicareRx Preferred, have a higher actuarial value than basic benefit plans.
- Actuarial value simply refers to the percentage of cost covered by AARP MedicareRx Preferred.
- The premiumA premium is an amount that an insurance policyholder must pay for coverage. Premiums are typically paid on a monthly basis. In the federal Medicare program, there are four different types of premiums. is $112.70 per month. You pay this amount even if you don't have regular prescriptions.
- The deductible is $0.00 per year.
- This plan offers additional coverage in the donut hole (coverage gapA period of time in which you pay higher cost-sharing for prescription drugs until you spend enough to qualify for catastrophic coverage.).
- This plan does not qualify for the Extra Help program's full low-income subsidySocial Security's Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program helps Medicare beneficiaries pay for their Medicare Part D prescription drugs by paying some of the costs. Also known as "Extra Help", beneficiaries who qualify for LIS receive premium....
- Costs can vary significantly between plans. If you have regular prescriptions it is important to compare costs carefully before you enroll.
| Plan Basics | |
|---|---|
| Plan ID: | S5820-019 |
| Plan Type: | PDP |
| Plan Year: | 2023 |
| Premium: | $112.70/mo |
| Deductible: | $0.00/yr |
| Benefit Type: | Enhanced |
| Rx Gap Coverage: | Yes |
| Low Income Subsidy: | No |
| Availability: | See List |
| Insured By: | UnitedHealthcare |
WARNING: Before enrolling in a Part D plan, take the time to evaluate the cost of your regular prescriptions.
Prescription Drug Plan Premium
Although AARP MedicareRx Preferred's monthly premium is bundled with the total plan cost, some plans have supplemental costs and/or offer low-income subsidy (LIS) assistance. The following table outlines the premium details of this UnitedHealthcare plan.
| Basic Part D Premium: | $88.30 |
| Supplemental Part D Premium: | $24.40 |
| Total Part D Premium: | $112.70 |
| Part D Premium with Full LIS Assistance: | $80.80 |
| Part D Premium with 75% LIS Assistance: | $88.80 |
| Part D Premium with 50% LIS Assistance: | $96.70 |
| Part D Premium with 25% LIS Assistance: | $104.70 |
For more information about the Low-Income Subsidy (aka, "Extra Help") program, refer to the Social Security Extra Help page.
Prescription Drug Plan Deductible
The Medicare Part D annual deductible with this plan is $0.00. This is the amount you must pay at the pharmacy before UnitedHealthcare begins paying its share.
Prescription Drug Plan Out-of-Pocket Costs
In addition to the plan's monthly premium and deductible, AARP MedicareRx Preferred has copaymentsA copayment, also known as a copay, is a set dollar amount you are required to pay for a medical service. (a fixed dollar amount) and/or coinsurances (a percentage amount) that you must pay when you pick up your prescriptions. The following table shows you those costs.
| Tier | Preferred | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Preferred Generic) | $7.00 copay | $15.00 copay |
| 2 (Generic) | $12.00 copay | $20.00 copay |
| 3 (Preferred Brand) | $47.00 copay | $47.00 copay |
| 4 (Non-Preferred Drug) | 40% | 45% |
| 5 (Specialty Tier) | 33% | 33% |
A Brief Review and CMS 5-Star Rating Marks
This Medicare Part D plan gets 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. Here's our quick summary of how well AARP MedicareRx Preferred performs.
Most Part D plans get average marks, including this one. AARP MedicareRx Preferred delivers an excellent customer care experience when members call for help. Compared to other plans, Medicare gets relatively few member complaints about this plan. Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in this UnitedHealthcare plan enjoy a good member experience. When it comes to drug safety and the accuracy of drug pricing, this plan is below average.
The true value of any Medicare Part D plan can only be judged by how well it covers your medications. You can find enhanced benefit plans that have a lower monthly cost than this one. If the plan covers your prescriptions at a lower price overall, that's fine. With no annual deductible, this plan offers first-dollar coverage.
The following table shows the quality ratings for this UnitedHealthcare plan. Each year CMS rates drug plans (Part D) in four broad categories. We do not recommend joining a plan with an overall rating of less than 3.0:
| CMS Measure | Star Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Plan Rating | |
| Drug Plan Customer Service | |
| Complaints and Changes in the Drug Plan | |
| Member Experience with the Drug Plan | |
| Drug Safety and Accuracy of Drug Pricing |
Plan Availability
AARP MedicareRx Preferred is available in the following states:
Contact UnitedHealthcare
| Plan Website: | UnitedHealthcare Plan Information |
|---|---|
| Formulay Information: | UnitedHealthcare Formulary Information |
| Pharmacy Information: | UnitedHealthcare Pharmacy Information |
| Prospective Members: | (888)867-5564 |
| TTY Users: | (711)- |
If you qualify for Medicare but have not yet enrolled or verified your enrollment status, you can do so on the Social Security Administration website. You can learn more about the Medicare AdvantageMedicare Advantage (MA), also known as Medicare Part C, are health plans from private insurance companies that are available to people eligible for Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B). program on www.medicare.gov.
Citations & References
- UnitedHealthcare, "http://www.AARPMedicarePlans.com", Last Accessed October 15, 2021
- Medicare.gov, "Drug coverage (part D)", Last Accessed September 21, 2022
- Medicare.gov, "How Part D works with other insurance", Last Accessed August 14, 2022
- Medicare.gov, "Catastrophic coverage", Last Accessed June 13, 2022
- SSA.gov, "Understanding the Extra Help With Your Medicare", Last Accessed June 9, 2022
- CMS.gov, "Landscape Source Files", Last Accessed January 15, 2023
- CMS.gov, "Medicare Part C & D Performance", Last Accessed January 15, 2023
The 2023 Medicare Part D Plans for information on this page was last updated on .