INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — If you are a Medicare beneficiary, please note that the annual enrollment period began Saturday, a month earlier than normal.
Senior Resource Association is working to raise awareness that the Federal Government has moved up the dates this year, and Medicare open enrollment began Oct. 15 and ends Wednesday, Dec.7, giving seniors seven weeks to make changes to their coverage.
This change will insure recipients have plan materials and membership cards in hand by Jan. 1, when the new coverage begins.
Open enrollment gives people with Medicare an opportunity to review their coverage, explore other plans and made changes to their coverage. Changes that are not made by Dec. 7 will have to wait for another year.
Every person with Medicare will have to choose a Part D Plan to help pay for prescription drugs. In addition, people who have enrolled in Part C Medicare Advantage Plan have the option of staying in that Plan, choosing a different Plan or going back to the original Medicare Program, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
New 2012 Plan information is available on the Medicare website at HTTP://MEDICARE.GOV. You may also call Medicare at (800) 633-4227 or contact SHINE at (866) 684-5885 for free counseling and assistance with Medicare and other health insurance issues.
