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Hospital indemnity plans · underwritten by Golden Rule Insurance Company

Compare Your Hospital Plan Options

Two plans that pay you cash when you're in the hospital. You choose how much each hospital day pays and how many days it covers, then add extra benefits if you want them. HospitalWise is for ages 18 to 64. AdvantageGuard is for ages 60 to 90. Amounts are per covered person unless noted. Benefits can vary by state.

Based on the current UHC brochures: HospitalWise (2026), AdvantageGuard (2026) · Updated September 2026

No waiting period for hospital stays Paid to you Renewable for life
Please read: These plans provide limited benefits. They are hospital indemnity insurance, meant to supplement health insurance, and are not a substitute for the minimum essential coverage required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). AdvantageGuard is not a Medicare Supplement policy. Benefits are paid in stated amounts regardless of the actual cost of care.
See states where these plans are available

HospitalWise 40 states + DC

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

AdvantageGuard 41 states + DC

The same states as HospitalWise, plus New Hampshire.

Some add-on benefits aren't offered in every state. See the fine print at the bottom. Don't see your state? Reach out. I can help you find other options.

HospitalWise

Ages 18–64 · No health questions
Open the brochure (PDF)

A good fit if you're under 65 and want cash if you or your family end up in the hospital, even if you have health conditions.

  • Guaranteed issue, with no health questions
  • Choose up to $10,000 for a hospital stay, or a set amount per day for up to 10 days
  • An ICU stay pays your daily amount again, on top of the hospital benefit
  • Covers you, your spouse, and children under 26
  • Optional add-ons for ER, urgent care and doctor visits, outpatient surgery, imaging, ambulance, and wellness
1-day plan$1,000 to $10,000 for each hospital stay. The biggest single payment.
3-day plan$1,000 to $3,000 a day, for up to 3 days per stay.
10-day plan$500 or $1,000 a day, for up to 10 days per stay.

Good to know: doesn't cover pregnancy (except complications) or mental health stays. Conditions treated in the 6 months before your plan starts aren't covered for the first 6 months. Add-ons must be chosen when you apply.

AdvantageGuard

Ages 60–90
Open the brochure (PDF)

A good fit if you're 60 or older, including on Medicare or Medicare Advantage, and want cash for the hospital costs your coverage leaves behind.

  • Most benefit choices have no health questions. Some ask a few.
  • Choose $50 to $3,000 for a hospital stay, or a set amount per day for up to 10 days
  • Also pays for a hospital stay for a mental health condition
  • Covers you and your spouse
  • Optional add-ons include a cancer lump sum up to $50,000, skilled nursing facility days, and medications given by injection at a clinic
1-day plan$50 to $3,000 for each hospital stay.
3- to 10-day plans$50 to $1,000 a day, for up to 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 10 days per stay.

Good to know: not a Medicare Supplement. There's no separate ICU benefit, and children can't be covered. Conditions treated in the 6 months before your plan starts aren't covered for the first 6 months.

Which plan fits you?

You're under 60HospitalWise
You're on Medicare or Medicare AdvantageAdvantageGuard
You want a big one-time payment for any hospital stayHospitalWise 1-day plan
You worry about a cancer diagnosisAdvantageGuard + Cancer add-on
You need to cover your childrenHospitalWise
You might need a nursing facility after a hospital stayAdvantageGuard + Skilled Nursing
You want help with doctor and ER visits tooHospitalWise + Outpatient Care
You get infusions or injections at a clinicAdvantageGuard + injected Rx add-on
You want coverage for a mental health hospital stayAdvantageGuard
You're 60 to 64Either plan. Let's compare.
How the plans pay

What a claim looks like

Illustrations built from each plan's benefit schedule, using example choices. What you'd receive depends on the amounts and add-ons you pick.

HospitalWise · 1-day plan at $5,000

Admitted for pneumonia

One hospital stay of 2 nights. The 1-day plan pays once per stay.

  • Hospital stay$5,000
Paid to you$5,000
HospitalWise · 3-day plan at $2,000 a day

A 4-night stay with a day in ICU

The plan pays up to 3 hospital days per stay, and ICU pays the daily amount again.

  • 3 hospital days × $2,000$6,000
  • 1 ICU day × $2,000$2,000
Paid to you$8,000
AdvantageGuard · 5-day plan at $400 a day + Ambulance

A fall, then a 6-night stay

A ground ambulance takes you to the hospital and you're admitted. The plan pays up to 5 days per stay.

  • 5 hospital days × $400$2,000
  • Ground ambulance ($300 chosen)$300
Paid to you$2,300
AdvantageGuard · Cancer add-on at $10,000

A first cancer diagnosis

Diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer for the first time, after the 30-day waiting period.

Lump sum paid to you$10,000

Cancer in situ and benign brain tumors pay 25%. Skin cancer pays $500.

All benefits

Every benefit, both plans

Not covered No benefit in the brochure Add-ons cost extra, must be chosen when you apply, and apply to everyone on the policy

Rotate your phone for a better view of this table.

Benefit HospitalWise AdvantageGuard
Ages 18–64 60–90
Common questions

Questions people ask

Straight answers about how these plans work. Tap a question to open it.

How do these plans work?

When you're admitted to the hospital, the plan pays you a set cash amount. You choose that amount, and how many days each stay covers, when you apply. The money goes to you, no matter what the hospital charges or what your other insurance pays.

What's the difference between the two?

HospitalWise is for ages 18 to 64, can cover your children, offers higher daily amounts, and pays extra for ICU days. AdvantageGuard is for ages 60 to 90 and covers you and your spouse. It also pays for mental health hospital stays and offers add-ons for cancer, skilled nursing, and injected medications.

Do I have to answer health questions?

HospitalWise has no health questions. AdvantageGuard has none for most benefit choices, but some choices ask a few. I'll tell you which apply before you decide.

I have Medicare. Is AdvantageGuard a Medicare Supplement?

No. AdvantageGuard doesn't replace a Medicare Supplement or a Medicare Advantage plan. It pays you cash for covered hospital stays and services on top of whatever your Medicare coverage pays, which can help with hospital copays and other costs.

How soon can I use it?

Hospital benefits have no waiting period. However, a condition you were treated or diagnosed for in the 6 months before your plan starts isn't covered for your first 6 months. Some add-ons, like Wellness and Cancer, have a 30-day wait.

Can I add benefits later?

Add-ons can only be chosen when you apply, and they apply to everyone on the policy. That's why it's worth deciding what matters to you up front.

What counts as a hospital stay?

An inpatient stay, including observation longer than 24 hours, pays your daily benefit. Observation of 12 to 24 hours also pays your daily benefit, up to 4 times a year. A new stay for the same or a related condition counts as a separate stay only if it starts at least 60 days after the last one.

Can I keep it as I get older?

Yes. Both plans are renewable for life as long as you pay your premiums. Your premium won't go up because you file claims or your health changes.

What isn't covered?

Common exclusions include pregnancy and childbirth (except complications), cosmetic and weight-loss surgery, substance use treatment, injuries at work, and some risky activities like skydiving or racing. HospitalWise also doesn't cover mental health stays. The brochures list every exclusion.

How do I file a claim?

Download a claim form from the UHC Member Hub, fill it out, and send it in, ideally within 30 days. Need help setting up your Member Hub account? Here's my step-by-step guide.

What if I change my mind?

You have 10 days after the policy is issued (30 days in some states) to return it for a full refund of the premium you paid.

Questions? Let's talk

Not sure how much to choose? I'll walk you through it.

I'm Hamon R. Burkhardt, a licensed Health & Life insurance broker. I'll help you pick a daily amount and add-ons that fit your budget and your current coverage. No pressure, no fine print.

Call or text561-699-9453
Emailhello@helpmehamon.com
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How a hospital stay is counted

A "period of confinement" is one or more hospital stays for the same or related causes. A new period starts only when the stays are at least 60 days apart. Your day limit (1, 3, 10, and so on) applies to each period. Only one benefit is paid per person per day for the same or a similar service.

What these plans don't cover

  • Pregnancy and childbirth (except complications)
  • Cosmetic treatment and weight-loss surgery
  • Substance use treatment; mental health stays (HospitalWise)
  • Injuries at work covered by workers' comp
  • Stays mainly for rehab, custodial, or nursing care (except the Skilled Nursing add-on)

This is a summary. The policy lists all exclusions and limitations.

State differences

  • HospitalWise: Connecticut doesn't offer the Outpatient Care, Surgical, or Major Diagnostic add-ons. Illinois and Virginia don't offer Wellness. Some add-ons aren't offered in Idaho or Kansas.
  • AdvantageGuard: the Cancer add-on isn't offered in Connecticut, Illinois, New Hampshire, or Virginia. Other add-ons aren't offered in Idaho, Kansas, or Michigan.
  • 30-day free look in Connecticut, Louisiana, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Utah, among others.

Other state variations may apply.

About this guide

This guide summarizes plan brochures from Golden Rule Insurance Company, a UnitedHealthcare company, which underwrites these plans. It was prepared by Hamon R. Burkhardt, licensed Health & Life insurance broker (NPN 16713594), and is not an official Golden Rule or UnitedHealthcare document. It is not a contract. The policy's terms decide what is covered. Plan availability varies by state and eligibility. © 2026 helpmehamon!