Annual open enrollment for Medicare starts today, and Oregon’s Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) Program is available to help. Medicare is health insurance for people 65 years or older or younger than 65 with Social Security Disability Income. People living in Oregon who are 65 years or older may be eligible to sign up and find health insurance that best meets their needs. Medicare covers many medical costs, including visits to the doctor, prescription medications, and preventive care, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, diabetes treatment, and blood pressure screenings. Medicare annual enrollment runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2018. Any Medicare Advantage (MA) or prescription drug plan (Part D) changes must be made between these dates so that coverage begins without interruption on Jan. 1, 2019. Those who are late to enroll may face a lifetime of premium penalties. “It is important to compare Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans every year,” SHIBA Program Manager Lisa Emerson said. “Plans change year to year, as do people’s individual health care needs. People could potentially save money by shopping for a new plan.” SHIBA provides free health insurance counseling to explain how the Medicare program works, additional insurance options that work with Medicare, and help with reducing out-of-pocket costs. SHIBA staff members, along with more than 200 certified counselors, serve many of Oregon’s more than 860,000 Medicare beneficiaries to help them understand their Medicare benefits and enrollment options. Free information and help is available by calling 1-800-722-4134 (toll-free) or visiting shiba.oregon.gov. SHIBA counselors help beneficiaries compare plans and enroll by using the plan finder tool found online at www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan. Beneficiaries and their families can also choose to use this tool to compare plans and enroll on their own. SHIBA also publishes an annual Medicare guide, which will be available online in early October and in print in mid-November.
