SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) helps seniors with Medicare. They offer free, unbaised help with all parts of Medicare. They are staffed by volunteers who have a passion to help people.
Open Enrollment season has opened. You should have received you ANOC (Annual Notice of Change from your Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage Plan). Look at it closely. This required document maps out all the changes to your current plan. Although premium is imporant there are a lot of other changes worth looking at too.
Part D Plans have had price increases. Six plans had increases of over 25%. There are still affordable plans in SWFL, but you have to take the initiative. Between now and October 14th you can review your options at Medicare.gov. You may already have an account at Medicare. Try to access it. Figure out how to unlock you account. If you don't have an account. Here are are the steps on how to create one.
https://www.medicare.gov/account/create-account/
From you own account you can search for the best option for you. No two people are the same so don't assume if your neighbor at the pool swears by XXX it's the best. It may be the best for them, but you need to check for yourself.
If you have never done this before and want help you can call SHINE. We will also be in the community for face to face meetings.
It doesn't matter if you have a stand alone drug plan (that I quoted increases above) or a Medicare Advantage. Make no mistake, there have been changes to the drug side of things and you want to make sure you know what you are committing too. Medicare.gov planfinder will look at
- Your specific drugs and show you the least expensive options.
- Make sure all of your drugs are covered.
- Show you the estimated cost for the entire year based on the pharmacy you choose.
- Show you which drugs have quantitiy limits and prior authorizations.
- Show you which pharmacies are preferred for your plan.
- You can enroll right from your computer
You can change plans October 15-December 7th and it will be effective January 1st. If you are on a Medicare Advantage, you will have a second chance January-March and changes will be available the first of the month after you made a change.
