More and more baby boomers are reaching age 65 each year and have an opportunity to apply for Medicare benefits. People under 65 with certain disabilities, and people of any age with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) are also eligible for Medicare. As a SHICK (Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas) counselor, I can help Medicare recipients take a look at their Part D (Prescription Drug Plan) and hopefully find them a more affordable plan.
The Open Enrollment Period is going on now until Wednesday, Dec. 7th. All Medicare beneficiaries should take the opportunity to review their health care needs for the upcoming year and determine if changes to their current coverage is necessary. Plan costs and coverage change each year, so everyone with Medicare should check to make sure their plan still meets their health needs and budget. My advice to folks who want to schedule a review is to call before Thanksgiving. Some days the computer seems a little slow as we look for prescription drug plan comparisons. It is rewarding, though, to find a plan which saves a person some money.
My husband, John, is also a SHICK counselor and there are three individuals at the RSVP office in Great Bend (Linn, Trella and Dave) who are also providing counseling. Melissa, at the Hoisington Library, completed SHICK counselor training this year too. Give any of our offices a call to schedule a review.
Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research & Extension – Barton County. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu