Thoughts on Pfizer Retiree Medical Plan

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The Pfizer Retiree Medical can only be used for very specific selections.
For Medicare, you can select a Rx Plan and you can select a United Healthcare Advantage Plan. Those are your only choices for Medicare.
Please use due diligence before you decide to use an Advantage plan. You may regret it.
 






We have the UHC and Rx plan for several years and are very happy.The coverage has actually improved over the past 2 or 3 years and the monthly premium has decreased a bit. Currently $225 total for my wife an I.
 






anonymous said:
We have the UHC and Rx plan for several years and are very happy.The coverage has actually improved over the past 2 or 3 years and the monthly premium has decreased a bit. Currently $225 total for my wife an I.
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It’s a great thing that you are happy.
Any surgery that is ordered for Advantage plan must go through prior approval. A committee will decide if it is medically necessary.
 






anonymous said:
It’s a great thing that you are happy.
Any surgery that is ordered for Advantage plan must go through prior approval. A committee will decide if it is medically necessary.
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The retiree medical benefit is a joke. The funds that have been set aside for each of us can only be used for very limited choices. The only Medicare option is United Advantage Plan. Good physicians do not accept it. Many Major hospitals do not accept it. Any procedures must have prior approval to determine if it is medically necessary. It is their job to deny requests until the patient is in advanced disease state. Disgusting.
 






anonymous said:
The retiree medical benefit is a joke. The funds that have been set aside for each of us can only be used for very limited choices. The only Medicare option is United Advantage Plan. Good physicians do not accept it. Many Major hospitals do not accept it. Any procedures must have prior approval to determine if it is medically necessary. It is their job to deny requests until the patient is in advanced disease state. Disgusting.
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You sound like you have Aetna or Humana which many healthcare providers DO NOT ACCEPT. I've had the Pfizer UHC Advantage Plan for going on 12 years now and NEVER had to get pre-approvals! Secondly most UHC Advantage Plans carry a hefty annual deductible of $6,000 - $8,000 for an individual policy. PFE's is $1,500! You will appreciate that when you get older. I have yet to find one physician/group or hospital that does not accept UHC Medicare Advantage Plan in the DMV.
 






anonymous said:
You sound like you have Aetna or Humana which many healthcare providers DO NOT ACCEPT. I've had the Pfizer UHC Advantage Plan for going on 12 years now and NEVER had to get pre-approvals! Secondly most UHC Advantage Plans carry a hefty annual deductible of $6,000 - $8,000 for an individual policy. PFE's is $1,500! You will appreciate that when you get older. I have yet to find one physician/group or hospital that does not accept UHC Medicare Advantage Plan in the DMV.
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An entire hospital system in my town does not accept United Advantage Plan - including my oncologist. I needed surgery and it was denied by United Advantage Plan- deemed unnecessary.
 






anonymous said:
An entire hospital system in my town does not accept United Advantage Plan - including my oncologist. I needed surgery and it was denied by United Advantage Plan- deemed unnecessary.
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If you are hanging on to your Pfizer job to receive their retiree medical benefits, take my advice and don’t bother.
The United Healthcare Advantage plan is not accepted by the best doctors in my area. And entire hospital systems do not accept it. What Pfizer has done is a crying shame.
 






Your best option is real Medicare with a G supplement, and find a drug plan that isn't pfizer's. pfizer's drug plan is 3x $ compared to others on the market. Talk to a company that specializes in figuring out which plan is best for you, I found fairsquaremedicare.com to be an excellent source. Forget Medicare Disadvantage by UHC or anyone else, you'll regret having it when you have a serious illness.
 






anonymous said:
Your best option is real Medicare with a G supplement, and find a drug plan that isn't pfizer's. pfizer's drug plan is 3x $ compared to others on the market. Talk to a company that specializes in figuring out which plan is best for you, I found fairsquaremedicare.com to be an excellent source. Forget Medicare Disadvantage by UHC or anyone else, you'll regret having it when you have a serious illness.
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This in totally correct. Don't hang around thinking that the retiree medical program is of any value.
 






I remember the reps just hanging on for their retirement for medical coverage. Every retired Pfizer person I know doesn't like the coverage and assumed medical would be completely paid for. Again, too much drinking of the "blue Kool Aid", do your research talk to to folks and force HR and Management to answer your questions. Veterans research the VA healthcare options you have, with your years in the medical industry you will be able to navigate and get better medical care than the average vet. Best of Luck
 






anonymous said:
This in totally correct. Don't hang around thinking that the retiree medical program is of any value.
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It is so ironic that a pharmaceutical company would provide such terrible retiree medical coverage. I am a cancer patient and UHC Advantage does not have my doctors in their system. I couldn’t find any decent doctors in town who accepted it.
 






anonymous said:
I remember the reps just hanging on for their retirement for medical coverage. Every retired Pfizer person I know doesn't like the coverage and assumed medical would be completely paid for. Again, too much drinking of the "blue Kool Aid", do your research talk to to folks and force HR and Management to answer your questions. Veterans research the VA healthcare options you have, with your years in the medical industry you will be able to navigate and get better medical care than the average vet. Best of Luck
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Example for Pfizer retiree benefits 2025:
Pfizer retiree Part D Basic drug coverage, Silver Script:
$208/month/couple cost paid by retiree plus $100 deducted monthly from Retiree Medical Subsidy.
Call Silver Script directly and enroll without Pfizer with exact same benefits: $94/couple/month.

Due diligence is important.
 






anonymous said:
I remember the reps just hanging on for their retirement for medical coverage. Every retired Pfizer person I know doesn't like the coverage and assumed medical would be completely paid for. Again, too much drinking of the "blue Kool Aid", do your research talk to to folks and force HR and Management to answer your questions. Veterans research the VA healthcare options you have, with your years in the medical industry you will be able to navigate and get better medical care than the average vet. Best of Luck
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MD Anderson has just announced that it will NOT accept Medicare Advantage
 


















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