SHIBA offers assistance with Medicare enrollment

Published 8:00 am Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The annual open enrollment for Medicare runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.

The Oregon Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) Program in the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace is ready to provide assistance for those who may need help. SHIBA staff members and more than 200 certified counselors are available to provide free health insurance counseling to explain how the Medicare program works.

Medicare is health insurance for people 65 years or older, or those who are younger than 65 that receive Social Security Disability Income. Medicare covers many medical costs, including doctor visits, prescription medications and preventive care, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, diabetes treatment, and blood pressure screenings.

People can enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA) or prescription drug plan (Part D) for the first time or make changes between the enrollment dates so coverage begins without interruption on Jan. 1, 2020. There is also an extended MA open enrollment period from Jan. 1, 2020, to March 31, 2020. People must be enrolled in an MA plan to use the extended open enrollment period to make any changes.

For more information, call 1-800-722-4134 or visit shiba.oregon.gov. Also, a new Medicare plan finder tool is available via www.medicare.gov/plan-compare/#.