UPMC for Life Medicare Advantage 2024 Review

UPMC for Life Medicare Advantage plans are available in two states — Ohio and Pennsylvania — and the provider’s star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are well above average. Member experience ratings are also above the average for major providers. UPMC didn’t increase monthly premiums in 2024, but it offers fewer $0-premium plans than many other providers.

Here’s what you should know about UPMC for Life Medicare Advantage.

UPMC for Life’s offerings have advantages and disadvantages.

• High star ratings: UPMC for Life Medicare Advantage plans score a higher-than-average star rating from CMS — 4.9 for 2024 plans versus 4.04 for the industry as a whole. 

• High marks from members: Member experience ratings on metrics like customer service and getting appointments and care quickly are above the average for major providers. 

• Affordable prescription drugs: Plans offer $0 copays for Tier 1 and Tier 2 prescription drugs when members fill them at their plan’s preferred pharmacies. 

• Limited availability: UPMC for Life offers Medicare Advantage plans mostly in Pennsylvania, along with two counties in Ohio. 

• Fewer $0 plans: UPMC for Life offers fewer $0-premium plans than many other providers. 

Average star rating, weighted by enrollment: 4.9

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services maintains star ratings for Medicare Advantage plans on a 5-point scale, ranking plans from best (5 stars) to worst (1 star). The agency bases these ratings on plans’ quality of care and measurements of customer satisfaction, and ratings may change from year to year.

Based on the most recent year of data and weighted by enrollment, UPMC for Life’s 2024 Medicare Advantage plans get an average rating of 4.9 stars^[0]

For comparison, the average star rating for plans from all providers is 4.04^[0]

Costs for Medicare Advantage plans depend on your plan, your geographic location and your health needs.

One of the costs to consider is the plan’s premium. In 2024, about a third of UPMC for Life Medicare Advantage plans (35%) that aren’t special needs plans (SNPs) have a $0 premium^[0]

Even as a Medicare Advantage user, you’ll still be responsible for paying your Medicare Part B premium, which is $174.70 per month in 2024^[0]

, although some plans cover part or all of this cost. (Most people pay this standard amount, but if your income is above a certain threshold, you’ll pay more.)

Requirements for copays, coinsurance and deductibles vary depending on your plan, location and the services you use. Other out-of-pocket costs to consider include:

• Whether the plan covers any part of your monthly Medicare Part B premium.

• The plan’s yearly deductibles and any other deductibles, such as a drug deductible.

• Copayments and/or coinsurance for each visit or service. For instance, there may be a $10 copay for seeing your primary doctor and a $45 copay for seeing a specialist.

• The plan’s in-network and out-of-network out-of-pocket maximums.

• Whether your medical providers are in-network or out-of-network, or how often you may go out of network for care.

• Whether you require extra benefits, and if the plan charges for them.

To get a sense of costs, use Medicare’s plan-finding tool to compare information among available plans in your area. You can select by insurance carrier to see only UPMC for Life plans or compare across carriers. You can also shop directly from UPMC for Life’s website by entering your ZIP code.

There are a few kinds of UPMC for Life Medicare Advantage plans, and they vary in terms of structure, costs and benefits. UPMC for Life offers Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (MAPDs) as well as Medicare Advantage plans without drug coverage.

Plan offerings include the following types:

A health maintenance organization (HMO) generally requires that you use a specific network of doctors and hospitals. You may need a referral from your primary doctor in order to see a specialist, and out-of-network benefits are usually very limited.

Preferred provider organization (PPO) plans provide the most freedom, allowing you to see any provider that accepts the insurance. You may not need to choose a primary doctor, and you don’t need referrals to see specialists. You can seek out-of-network care, although it may cost more than seeing an in-network doctor.

Special needs plans (SNPs) restrict membership to people with certain diseases or characteristics. Hence, the benefits, network and drug formularies are tailored to the needs of those members. UPMC for Life offers one type of SNP:

• Dual-Eligible SNP: For people who are entitled to Medicare and who also qualify for assistance from a state Medicaid program.

UPMC for Life offers Medicare Advantage plans in only two states — Pennsylvania and Ohio — and the provider is available in only two counties in Ohio. UPMC for Life covers more than 210,000 Medicare Advantage beneficiaries^[0]