Deadline looms for Medicare enrollment

There’s still time to get your flu shot and it’s free for people with Medicare, one per flu season in the fall or winter, when given by doctors or other health care providers such as senior centers and pharmacies that accept Medicare.

Schedule your flu shot today.

Those on Medicare will want to remember Dec. 7. It’s the day open enrollment ends.

Time is running out to make changes to your Medicare Advantage and prescription drug coverage. Here’s what you can still do if you need to:

Change from original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan.

Change from a Medicare Advantage Plan back to original Medicare.

Switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another.

Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage to one that does, or vice versa.

Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Switch from one Medicare drug plan to another.

Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.

The Medicare Advantage disenrollment period runs Jan. 1 to Feb. 14. During that time you can leave your Medicare Advantage Plan to switch to original Medicare. If you switch to original Medicare during this period, you’ll have until Feb. 14 to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage. Your coverage will begin the first day of the month after the plan gets your enrollment form. However, during this period, you cannot switch from original Medicare to an advantage plan or from one advantage plan to another; join, switch or drop a Medicare medical savings account; or change the prescription drug plan.

People who are eligible for extra-help with prescription drug costs can make changes to their plans outside of these limited enrollment periods.

It has been announced that asset limits for these programs increase in 2013. If you have applied for extra help in the past, but were denied because of excess assets, you may want to apply again.

Senior Connections elder benefits specialist, Pat Nelson, can answer questions about benefits, enrollment periods or how to apply for extra help. Call 715-395-7533 or 715-394-3611.

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