Helping seniors make Medicare changes

Throughout the rest of this month, seniors all over the U.S. will be scrambling to take advantage of a window of opportunity that will allow them to make changes to their Medicare drug coverage.

This window, known as an "open enrollment period," began on November 15 and ends on December 31 and will allow Medicare recipients to adjust their drug coverage plans to more effectively meet their needs.

In Sisters, two volunteer specialists are available to help seniors navigate the Medicare maze. Bob Seltzer, a retired human resources manager, and Jan Morgan, a retired civilian financial manager for the Air Force, are both volunteering in Sisters on behalf of the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA). Their services are free of charge, and interested persons can schedule an appointment by calling the Central Oregon Council on Aging at 548-8817.

Medicare recipients who are comfortable working online can go to the Medicare Web site (www.medicare.gov) and select the link to the "Medicare Prescription Drug Plans - 2008 Plan Data" and then "Find & Compare Plans."

The computer program will ask for the names of your prescription drugs and will sort through them to calculate the optimum plan based on your specific needs. This tool ranks the 55 stand-alone plans and 21 Medicare health plans available to Deschutes County residents based on the medications entered. You can view detailed cost information, participating pharmacies, mail order details, restrictions and much more. It is nearly impossible to find the most economical plans without using this computer program.

But for those who can't use a computer or who simply prefer personal help, Seltzer and Morgan will do the checking for you. In addition to finding the best plans for individual needs, they can also submit online applications for those who qualify for financial assistance and will even provide follow-up support throughout the year.

"It's important for people to carefully review their situations," said Morgan. "But that can be a confusing process for older people. When dealing with the government and big insurance companies, often half the battle is simply finding the right person to talk to. Our training has equipped us to handle many problems on our own and has provided us with multiple resources, so there's a lot of help we can offer."

Seltzer points out that almost all companies have changed their premiums, deductibles and co-pays, and some have changed their list of approved medications and the amount of gap coverage they will provide. So it's important to stay on top of these changes

"Even if your prescription drug plan worked well for you this year, it's a good idea to check and see if it's still the best one for you," Seltzer explained. "Remember, you won't have another chance to make a change until next year at this time."

Morgan and Seltzer also want to remind people to be alert for fraud. Never give personal information such as social security numbers, bank account information or birth dates to anyone who contacts you offering to help. Confidential, unbiased information is always available from the Central Oregon Council on Aging at 548-8817. You may also contact Medicare directly at (800) 633-4227.