is AARP worth it for $9 a year???

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

We just got an offer through our work to get AARP memberships for $9 a year, for 5 years.

My question is this: does the membership truly give you any discounts that you can't get elsewhere, which would
pay for itself?

Can anyone give me examples of discounts you can get with it?

Thanks!

 

[snoopy7548]

Ironic how membership to the American Association of Retired Persons is being offered at work.

 

[dainthomas]

You get a $10 discount on AT&T cell service, which would more than pay for it. Then there are numerous rental car and hotel discounts if you travel a lot.

 

[deadlyapp]

You get a $10 discount on AT&T cell service, which would more than pay for it. Then there are numerous rental car and hotel discounts if you travel a lot.

Shoot - I still have corporate discounts for all three of those things with companies I no longer work for lol

 

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

I've heard that they offer hotel discounts - are they any lower than what you can get by shopping through several search engines?

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

No.

Never buy into a political lobbying group disguised as an insurance company.

 

[Captante]

I believe you still get a "free" donut @ Dunkin with your card if you buy a medium coffee!

Beyond that unless you benefit from their cheap "senior" car insurance rates I'd say no.

 

[Meghan54]

I believe you still get a "free" donut @ Dunkin with your card if you buy a medium coffee!

Beyond that unless you benefit from their cheap "senior" car insurance rates I'd say no.

Their car ins. rates aren't anything special...at all. In fact, when comparing products "endorsed" by AARP vs. products that aren't, invariably the unaffiliated product is cheaper. For instance, compared the price of AARP's endorsed Medicare Supplement ins. from United Healthcare to the market and AARP's was much more expensive than the majority of the market for absolutely nothing substantive.

 

[Torn Mind]

United Healthcare is probably the most lawyerly of all Medicare Advantage plans.

Meaning they deny all sorts of things and make the customer and/or doctor do the rebuttal in an appeal because they legally and systemically can. Only useful if you’re a healthy senior with no problems at all.

 

[Captante]

Their car ins. rates aren't anything special...at all. In fact, when comparing products "endorsed" by AARP vs. products that aren't, invariably the unaffiliated product is cheaper. For instance, compared the price of AARP's endorsed Medicare Supplement ins. from United Healthcare to the market and AARP's was much more expensive than the majority of the market for absolutely nothing substantive.

AARP's insurance in Connecticut (The Hartford) is the cheapest coverage available for several older folks I know.... and I double-checked for a couple of them myself!

Personally I alternate between Geico and USAA.

And let me add that I'm VERY disappointed you didn't post to confirm/debunk the free donut thing! (priorities!!!)

 

[Torn Mind]

AARP's insurance in Connecticut (The Hartford) is the cheapest coverage available for several older folks I know.... and I double-checked for a couple of them myself!

Personally I alternate between Geico and USAA.

And let me add that I'm VERY disappointed you didn't post to confirm/debunk the free donut thing! (priorities!!!)

Well, it was true in 2014.

99 Great Ways to Save 2024 Edition | Members Only Access

Make your money work harder for you — and save on entertainment, health care and groceries

www.aarp.org

Ah, that free donut is one step closer to a heart attack, diabetes, etc.

But I suppose some like to live pleasurably....



Might be dead now

Dunkin Donuts Senior Discount | Deals & Offers for Senior Citizens

Are you wondering if a Dunkin' Donuts senior citizen discount is available in 2022? Check out this post for the details and other ways to save!

mission-statement.com

 

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

I just looked over their website with more specific discounts. Truly, I don't see anything I already do that I could save money on. And on the 'entertainment' section, I found what is possibly the worst version of Atari's Centipede that I've ever tried to play online.....

 

[Macher]

With a handle like "GunsMadeAmericaFree", you might be interested to know the AARP is a big financial supporter of various gun control organizations.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Says Mr. One Post In A Year and a Half.

Who had to go dig up an alt to make that post?

 

[Captante]

Truly, I don't see anything I already do that I could save money on

So.... no Dunkin in your part of the world?

(Only 10 "free" donuts per year and you're in the green!)

 

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

So.... no Dunkin in your part of the world?

(Only 10 "free" donuts per year and you're in the green!)

Hah, I don't really drink coffee, and I'm too cheap to buy doughnuts, except for occasionally when I find a box of them 50% off at Kroger....

I guess I was hoping to see 5% or 10% off at a greater number of restaurants and other places, so that I could actually make use of the discounts.

 

[Geekbabe]

I didn’t even consider signing up for AARP. I think they went from an organization that helps seniors to one that lines it’s own pockets.

As for Medicare, I live in MA, I chose a 1A plan with a medigap supplement via Harvard Pilgrim, I had HP all my working life & they were good to me, they also spent something like 88% of members premium payments on medical care for members. These aren’t the cheapest options but I have peace of mind knowing my bills will get covered & my Oncologist won’t have to jump through hoops to get treatment approvals

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I somehow got put on a plan that pays everything, 100%, no out of pocket, even for prescriptions. No monthly premium. There are some annual limits, but I'm not sure I'll ever come close to them.

Plus I get extras like over the counter items (cold stuff, vitamins, etc.) and a monthly food allotment.

I don't know exactly how or why it was selected for me, but it was.

 

[Captante]

I didn’t even consider signing up for AARP

Free donuts are unhealthy anyway!

(even if you are in primo Dunkin territory!)



EDIT: REMEMBER donut #11 puts you into profit! You could potentially come out 354 donuts ahead with your membership!

 

[Geekbabe]

I somehow got put on a plan that pays everything, 100%, no out of pocket, even for prescriptions. No monthly premium. There are some annual limits, but I'm not sure I'll ever come close to them.

Plus I get extras like over the counter items (cold stuff, vitamins, etc.) and a monthly food allotment.

I don't know exactly how or why it was selected for me, but it was.

Nobody just gets put on a plan, I read for weeks before choosing original Medicare part A & B, then choosing a supplement ( medigap) & a part D drug plan.

It sounds like you selected a Medicare Advantage plan…. I looked at those but the deductible I would have to pay before the plan started paying was insane. Add in some very limited provider networks & I said no thank you!

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I did.

I had one selected, but at some point in the enrollment period, I got a phone call. The plan I was on up to that point had assigned account managers. This guy told me they had looked at my details and were going to put me on this special Dual Eligible plan that I didn't even know about. I looked at it and didn't think I was eligible. He assured me I was. I even kind of argued with him a bit because I didn't want something to come back on me later. This is my second year on it.

Can't really go into more detail, but as I suggested on another similar thread, you might want to see if your insurance company has one similar.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Nobody just gets put on a plan

Atlas Healthcare cold-called me, wanted me to complete their enrollment process for OneCare. I declined. They said that I needed to contact MassHealth and get switched back off of OneCare.

I NEVER signed up for OneCare, but I know that an agency that I use has been pushing it, I'm pretty sure that get a kickback. Theyy wanted me to sign up for a "Care Coordinator" through them, and I declined as well.

But I wonder if I've gotten "slammed", and need to sue someone.

I was thinking, after the call... Medicare is nation-wide, but OneCare is I think MA-only.

If I'm travelling outside this fine CommonWealth, who do I turn to for medical insurance, if I don't have Medicare anymore.

Edit: Yeah, I'm dual-eligible, I think.

 

[Captante]

From pretty much EVERYTHING that I've read (aside from advertising from insurance companies that is!) including Consumer Reports, "Medicare Advantage" is neither really Medicare or ANY KIND of "Advantage".

In fact when you read the fine print MANY of the plans are a borderline-scam AND WORSE they can potentially make you ineligible for real Medicare if you try to switch back.

My advice would be avoid completely.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

None of that is true. Advantage and Gap plans are part of Medicare. You can have basic Medicare without them, but coverage is very limited. Those plans add quite a lot, but they vary widely and many are only available in portions of states.

This site does a pretty thorough job of comparing them: https://q1medicare.com/

This is the official Federal site: https://www.medicare.gov/

 

[Geekbabe]

None of that is true. Advantage and Gap plans are part of Medicare. You can have basic Medicare without them, but coverage is very limited. Those plans add quite a lot, but they vary widely and many are only available in portions of states.

This site does a pretty thorough job of comparing them: https://q1medicare.com/

This is the official Federal site: https://www.medicare.gov/

Medicare A & B are basically 80/ 20 plans, Medicare covers 80% of the bill, you cover the other 20%. Everyone pays a premium for part B, this year that’s $164 a month. Medigap plans cover stuff like Doctor copays etc. So I pay my $164 to Medicare for part B. I then pay for my medigap & my part D drug coverage. Cheap? No however I am a cancer patient treated at Mass General Hospital, people fly from around the world to get cancer care here. MRI, CT & PET scans cost huge amounts. Just getting a chemo port put in cost 34K in 2015.

I can see any Doctor in the country that accepts Medicare. Also because I chose original Medicare no underwriting required. MA is one of I believe 3 states that have different rules for Medicare. I won’t need to spend 6-7 thousand before my insurance kicks in.