AARP Health Insurance: An Inside Peek at the AARP Health Insurance Alternatives

AARP offers its members affordable alternatives to expensive health insurance plans through its health insurance and service program, AARP Health Care Options. AARP members age 50 to 64 can choose from a variety of plans, including comprehensive and supplemental plans, designed to suit every person’s need and budget.

The AARP Personal Health Insurance Plan is a comprehensive network-based coverage plan. This plan gives you self-care services that help you stay healthy and manage your care. It gives you access to on-line health resources to keep you informed. This plan is similar to a group plan offered by an employer. It covers most medical expenses, including doctor’s visits, preventive care, emergency care, prescription drugs, surgery, and hospital stays. This plan is good for you if you do not have any coverage at all. If you already have some coverage, like a Medicare plan, another AARP plan might suit your needs better.

The AARP Medical Advantage Insurance Plan is a low-cost alternative to traditional health insurance plans. It is not a major medical plan, but it offers fixed cash payments for inpatient and outpatient services and procedures, including hospital stays, lab tests and x-rays, home healthcare, hospice and nursing, surgical procedures, and doctor’s visits.

The AARP Essential Health Insurance Plan is another fixed cash benefit plan that provides limited coverage with a lower premium. With this plan, you get fixed cash payments for various inpatient and outpatient expenses. This is a good plan for those who are between jobs, retired, or looking for a lower-priced plan.

The AARP Hospital Indemnity Insurance Plan is a supplemental plan that offers an extra layer of coverage, providing fixed cash benefits to cover any out-of-pocket expenses you might incur with a comprehensive health plan. Covered expenses for this plan are hospital stays, intensive care stays, and post-hospital skilled nursing facility stays. This is perfect if you need supplemental insurance to an existing policy.

If have Medicare and need additional coverage, you will benefit from one of AARP’s Medicare Supplement plans, which pays for some medical expenses not covered by Medicare. These plans give you the freedom to choose your own physicians, hardly any claim forms to fill out, coverage when traveling in the U.S. and great customer service. Coverage varies by state.

No matter what your needs are, if you are in the 50 to 64 age bracket, AARP has a plan for you.