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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 prescription drug coverage (Medicare Part D), plus 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.
Senior Supplement plans also act as a supplement to Original Medicare, but are only offered through an employer group or plan sponsor. They may have similar benefits as the Federal Medicare Supplement plans, but may also cover state-mandated benefits. If you enroll in a Senior Supplement plan and need prescription drug coverage, you will need to enroll in a Part D prescription drug plan also. Employer groups and plan sponsors commonly offer both a Senior Supplement plan and a separate Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
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.
By enrolling into the SAMBA Medicare Advantage Plan, SAMBA will subsidize $100 (High Option) or $75 (Standard Option) of yours and your enrolled spouse’s monthly Part B premium
To find doctors or hospitals in our network, see the online Provider Directory. 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.
You can see any provider outside of the network, as long as they accept Medicare and the plan. Accepting the plan means the doctor is willing to see the retiree and bill UnitedHealthcare.
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.
The SAMBA Medicare Advantage Plan does not have an annual deductible and you have low or no out-of-pocket costs for covered medical services. Your full plan information is accessible within the member portion of this site. Once logged in, click the "Coverage & Benefits" link in the menu at the top of your screen.
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.
As a member of the SAMBA Health Plan’s High Option or Standard Option you may enroll in the enhanced level of benefits (UnitedHealthcare Group Medicare Advantage (PPO)) at any time. If you are not yet a member of SAMBA Health Plan, you must first enroll in the SAMBA Health Plan High Option or Standard Option, following the standard FEHB process. You must remain enrolled in the SAMBA Health Plan High Option or Standard Option inorder to be eligible for the enhanced level of benefits.
Each year that you are a member of a UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D Prescription Drug 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 UCard with any questions.
This information is accessible within the member portion of the site. Once logged in, click on the "View and Print UCard" link on the home page then click "View and Print UCard Member ID".
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.
Yes. You must remain in the High Option or Standard Option to enroll in the Enhanced Level of Benefits.
No. While you will remain a SAMBA plan member, upon enrollment into the SAMBA Medicare Advantage plan, this plan will take over as the primary and only payor. You will no longer need to coordinate between two plans.