Yesterday, I received an email from United HealthCare via AARP which "Welcome (d)" me to AARP's Medicare Complete Advantage plan. It invited me to "Sign in or register at myAARPMedicare.com for access to (my) online tools, " which included, for example, "Take your New Member Orientation" and "Review your plan benefit details."
It sure looked like I was signed up for the plan.
The problem is: I never applied (and never would apply) for this or ANY other Advantage plan.
I, recently, got my Medicare Plan D through AARP but, as my agent knows, will get my Medicare Medigap insurance from a different company.
Therefore (and because I like things to be in writing for proof), I sent an email (to the email address listed on AARP's "Contact Information" page on its website. I thought it best NOT to click on any link in the email it sent me) this afternoon stating the problem and included the email I received yesterday.
Soon after, I received an "Auto-reply" from United Healthcare which said, "You have responded to an e-mail which is unable to receive replies."
Next, I called AARP to tell them that I never applied for the Advantage plan and to request that it email me verification that I never applied for it and would not be billed for it.
I thought it was my responsibility to notify AARP of the mistake but, once again, I was dreaming that any mega-business today would do the same for me and, simply, own up to the mistake.
I was bounced around to four different people, all of whom said that the information they had showed that I, only, had Plan D.
However, not one of them would write to or email me to verify that I never signed up for an Advantage plan and would not be billed.
The first representative suggested that I call Medicare and gave me a phone number.
Of course, I asked, "Do you mean the government Medicare?"
He said, "No, " adding that it was the number of "AARP's Medicare department."
Yes, you guessed it. When I called the number, I got the US Medicare Program.
For what it's worth, I did find out that Secure Horizons is another company affiliated with AARP's Medicare insurance.
... But, otherwise, I might as well have talked to the trees.
It is horrible that our government allows such irresponsible companies to do business here, especially, when the companies think that they have a right to trick some of our best, yet most vulnerable, citizens.
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