| Help with Medicare Coverage |
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| Help with Medicare Coverage |
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Medicare encourages all people with Medicare to review their health and prescription drug plans annually to make sure they are happy with the cost and coverage. It's that time of year. Here are some tips that may help you with this important task.
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| Medicare Mail |
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- Keep all your Medicare mail, especially in October. Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare prescription drug plans (Part D) must mail Annual Notices of Change (ANOC) to members. These notices explain changes in monthly premiums, costs, and what drugs the plan will cover. The notices may include 2009 membership cards. Reading and understanding this information now will help avoid costly surprises in January.
- Be careful not to toss your plan’s information with all the advertising you may get this month!
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| Fraud |
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- Never give out personal information - by phone or in person - to a stranger. SHIBA receives regular reports about identify thieves attempting to get personal and financial information from people with Medicare.
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| Medicare Annual Fall Open Enrollment |
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- The chance for most people to change plans is during Medicare Annual Fall Open Enrollment, which begins November 15 and ends December 31.
- Medicare urges you to make any changes by December 8 to avoid the last-minute rush and so your new coverage begins smoothly on January 1, 2009.
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| Extra Help with Medicare Drug Coverage |
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Many people qualify for financial help paying for a Medicare prescription drug plan. People might qualify if:
- Their monthly income is less than $1,300 (or $1,750 for a couple) and
- Their assets are less than $11,990 (or $23,970 for a couple)
For more information about extra help with Medicare prescription drug costs, visit www.socialsecurity.gov. Or, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.
You can apply online for extra help at www.socialsecurity.gov. This is the fastest way to see if you qualify. People who are approved for this help can apply for drug coverage even if it isn't between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31. You are approved for extra help for a year at a time.
SHIBA can help you apply for extra help and compare Medicare prescription drug plans! (See below.)
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| How to Compare/Change Drug Plans |
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- Online at www.medicare.gov. You can also call 1-800-Medicare 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- SHIBA counselors can help you compare plans, apply to Social Security for extra help, enroll in plans or resolve problems with your plan. Call toll-free in Oregon: 1-800-722-4134.
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| SHIBA Help with Medicare |
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- SHIBA is a government program that trains volunteers statewide to provide unbiased, local help to people with Medicare.
- Call toll-free in Oregon: 1-800-722-4134. You can get free help by phone or by appointment with a counselor in your community.
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