AARP Medicare Rx review

The AARP Medicare Rx plans from UnitedHealthcare mix low co-pays with competitive premiums for excellent all-round coverage.

AARP MedicareRx review
(Image: © UnitedHealthcare)

Top Ten Reviews Verdict

AARP MedicareRx from UnitedHealthcare is an excellent all-round provider of Part D plans. It has a network of preferred providers that includes Walgreens and Duane Reed, and the quote process is easy. Some options are only available to AARP members though.

Pros

  • +

    Backing of UnitedHealthcare

  • +

    Good range of options

  • +

    Simple quote process

Cons

  • -

    Some options only for AARP members

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Medicare prescription drug coverage is a way to manage the cost of your ongoing medication needs. In our AARP Medicare Rx review, which also features in our round-up of the best Medicare Part D plans, we'll look at the different options available to you with this provider. We'll also look at the costs involved with each plan and what considerations you'll need to make if you plan on selecting one.

Before we get to that, let's look a little closer at the two companies behind this prescription drugs cost coverage. UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is one of the more recognizable health insurance companies in America, operating all across the United States. UHC boasts over 115 million customers and in 2018 reported an annual revenue of well over $200billion. 

Its parent company, United HealthGroup, was founded in 1977, so they bring decades of experience to the table. As such they are able to offer a wide range of insurance plans, which is one of the company's biggest strengths. AARP is another powerful organization, with over 38 million members across the United States. 

Medicare prescription drugs plans are an important part of their members’ healthcare needs, so AARP's endorsement of these plans should be notable. In conjunction with UnitedHealthcare, they offer three Medicare Part D plans, each with with a range of premiums and deductibles to closely match your needs.  

AARP Medicare Rx review: Cost

  • Starting at $31.30 per month
  • Going up to $81.80 per month

There will be natural discrepancies in prices when looking at quotes for Medicare Part D plans, but we took as our standard a married, middle-aged man without any pre-existing conditions. The plans will be explained in more detail below.

AARP Medicare Rx review

(Image credit: AARP)

AARP Medicare Rx review: Products

  • AARP Medicare Rx Saver Plus is for people who require extra help or just basic coverage, and came back at $31.30 per month. 
  • AARP Medicare Rx Walgreens is also a fairly entry-level plan but offers good benefits if customers can fulfil their prescriptions at Walgreens, and that came back at $39.40.
  • AARP Medicare Rx Preferred plan is the most comprehensive plan, for customers with regular and/or extensive prescription needs, and the premium quoted was $81.80. 
  • Choice of three products
  • One for each budget
AARP Medicare Rx: Key features

Extensive drug coverage Thousands of medications covered

Large pharmacy network Nationwide coverage

Low co-pays $0-55 for Tier 1 drugs

AARP Medicare Rx has three products in the marketplace for potential customers to choose from, each with different premiums and levels of coverage depending on what kind of drugs are needed and the frequency prescriptions are renewed, and so on. The specifics of each plan are clearly laid out on the AARP Medicare website, and all of the essential information that customers need is well presented. Although you must be a Medicare recipient, you do not necessarily have to be an AARP member to buy into the plans.

AARP Medicare Rx Saver Plus is the entry-level plan. It’s probably best suited to customers who don't currently take many prescriptions, want low premiums and prefer a broad range of pharmacy network options. The plan covers most commonly used generic drugs and has co-pay amounts as low as $1 through the Preferred Retail Pharmacy Network. 

AARP Medicare Rx Walgreens is sold as a better fit if the potential customer is looking for low monthly plan premiums, and they can easily fill their prescriptions at Walgreens. Some of the features include a $0 co-pay amount for Tier 1 prescription drugs, a $0 annual deductible on Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs and the benefit of being able to save $15 or more on each prescription when filling the prescription at one of more than 9,500 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations nationwide.

AARP Medicare Rx Preferred is billed as a good fit if the customer currently takes multiple prescription drugs and prefers a broad range of pharmacy network options. The plan includes most generic and commonly used brand name drugs covered by Medicare Part D and offers benefits such as the chance to save 65 percent on co-pays through the Preferred Retail Pharmacy Network. There’s a $0 co-pay for a 90-day supply of Tier 1 and Tier 2 medications with home delivery from OptumRx.2. 

AARP Medicare Rx review: Features

  • Low co-pays
  • Wide availability
More Medicare Part D Plan reviews

You may wish to look at other Medicare prescription drugs plans we have reviewed, including Cigna-HealthSpring Medicare Rx, Humana Medicare Rx, SilverScript Medicare Rx and WealthCare Health Plans Medicare.

All of the plans offered by AARP Medicare Rx are designed to cover thousands of medications, including the vast majority of the common medications for people on Medicare.  There is a comprehensive list of the drugs covered on their website. 

AARP Medicare Rx’s network of preferred pharmacists is nationwide, with pharmacies in every state. The best prices are to be had if customers can use Walgreens or Duane Reed pharmacies.   

All of the plans offered by AARP Medicare Rx have low co-pay amounts, ranging from $0-$5 for Tier 1 drugs from their preferred network of pharmacies. 

AARP Medicare Rx review: What users say

  • 91% from Charity Navigator
  • BBB rating of A+

AARP garner good scores when reviewed independently, the 91 percent rating from non-profit watchdog Charity Navigator being fairly representative. AARP is not accredited to the Better Business Bureau though it does receive an A+ rating from them based on customer reviews and complaint handling procedures. 

Backers UnitedHealthcare are also ranked by the Better Business Bureau as an A+ concern. JD Power ranks UHC’s health insurance plans and customer service among the best on offer, and UHC has been in their top two providers in the healthcare sector for a number of years running. 

The AARP Medicare website could not be more clear or straightforward, with a very simple and intuitive quote process that only requires zip code information up front. On the page where the plans are lined up side by side, further links through to more detailed information are clearly marked. Plus, helpline and online agent information links are also clearly marked.

AARP Medicare Rx review: Verdict

AARP Medicare Rx, with services provided by United Healthcare, is an excellent all-round provider of Medicare Part D plans, and as the name suggests, it is the only range of plans endured by the AARP, which stands it in good stead. 

It mixes low co-pays with competitive premiums and has a network of preferred providers that includes Walgreens and Duane Reed. It is available nationwide, and the quote process is incredibly easy and straightforward.

We can help you with your other insurance needs too, including finding the best life insurance and the best dental insurance provider for you and your family. If you have ongoing vision care needs, we have also reviewed the best vision care insurance available now. 

Paul Oswell

Paul Oswell is a US-based freelance writer for the Guardian, Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times and more. While working for Top Ten Reviews, Paul has written about a broad range of subjects, but many of these concern money and tax. You'll find his bylines on articles from tax software to payday loans to create your own Will software.