Frequently Asked Questions
Medicare Part A and Part B are usually referred to as "Original Medicare". Part A offers coverage for your hospital stays, while Part B offers coverage for doctor visits and outpatient care. You receive your benefits directly from the government. Medicare then pays fees for your care directly to the doctors and hospitals you visit.
Medicare Part C plans are usually referred to as Medicare Advantage plans. All Medicare Advantage plans are provided by private insurance companies, like UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, and they all combine coverage for hospital stays (Medicare Part A) with coverage for doctor visits and other outpatient care (Medicare Part B) into one plan. Some plans include extra benefits like vision, hearing and dental coverage. Under Medicare Part C, the Medicare Advantage plan pays the fees for your care directly to the doctors and hospitals that you visit.
Medicare Supplement plans act as a supplement to "Original Medicare" (Parts A and B). Medicare Supplement plans help to pay for some of the costs, like coinsurance and deductibles that Original Medicare does not cover. If you enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan and need prescription drug coverage, you will need to enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan also.
Yes. You must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B to be eligible for our retiree plans and you must continue to pay your Part B premium to the government. This is a requirement for Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D prescription drug, Medicare supplement, and Senior Supplement plans. If you stop paying your Part B premium, you may be disenrolled from your plan.
To find doctors or hospitals in our network, click on “Find a Provider” in the navigation at the top of the page. This directory is updated regularly to provide you with the current listing of network providers. If you would like help finding a network doctor or to request a written copy of the Provider Directory, please call Customer Service.
Click on the Resources tab in the menu at the top of your screen, then on the Appeals & Grievances link. This page provides detailed information about the appeals process.
This information is accessible within the member portion of the site. Once logged in, click the "Claims" link in the menu at the top of your screen. The Claims page will enable you to search for medical and/or drug claims by date range and will provide an overview of each claim searched.
Eligibility for the Iron Road Healthcare Medicare Plans
Iron Road Healthcare Medicare Plan membership is restricted to certain railroad employees and their spouse. This plan is not offered to the public. If you worked for Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), its subsidiaries or wholly owned operating units and are eligible (or will be eligible) for Medicare benefits, then you, and your Medicare eligible spouse can enroll in our Medicare plans when you or your spouse first become Medicare eligible or later with a qualifying event. You must have enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B to be a member of our Medicare plans. Iron Road Healthcare does not exclude, or limit membership based on your health condition.
- If enrollment in Medicare is delayed because of coverage through an employer sponsored group health plan, you may join our Medicare plans within 60 days of that coverage ending. You will need to provide proof of credible coverage from your health plan.
- If you choose not to enroll when you are first eligible for Medicare or when you have a qualifying event, then you must wait for an open enrollment period.
- If you terminate your coverage from our Medicare plans, either voluntarily or involuntarily, you will not be permitted to re-enroll for a minimum period of 24 months and then only during an open enrollment period.
- The Plan reserves the right to have Open Enrollments at their discretion. You can call us at 1- 800-547-0421 TTY/TDD use the national number 711.
Each year that you are a member of a UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan, you will receive an Annual Notice of Changes (ANOC) about six weeks before your plan's effective date. The ANOC explains any changes in coverage, costs, and benefits that will be effective for the upcoming year. You may also call the customer service number listed on your member ID card with any questions.
This information is accessible within the member portion of the site. Once logged in, click on the "View and Print Member ID Card" link on the home page.
If you are unable to find the links noted above, please call customer service using the number listed on your plan materials or the number noted for Plan Members on the Contact Us page.