Outreach

LCCOA OUTREACH Open enrollment is coming

Open Enrollment

Every year, Medicare has a special Open Enrollment period for Medicare Part-D (prescription drug plan) and the Medicare Advantage Plans (MAPD). This period runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 and is a crucial time of year for all Medicare beneficiaries who wish to review their options for the upcoming year. This Open Enrollment allows you to join a Part-D or Medicare Advantage plan, and allows you to explore options. We always suggest reviewing your plan options each year; there are many aspects that can contribute to higher costs from year-to-year, and this is a way to hopefully spare you those added costs by having a comparison done and choosing a lesser plan, if one is available.

Why should you Review and

Compare each year?

Medicare Part-D plan companies change their formularies (or accepted medication lists), their tier grouping, add or remove preferred or in-network pharmacies, and raise or lower premiums and deductibles and other costs each year. Some years, these changes are slight, and the plan that you are in may continue to be the best and least expensive option for you. Other years, you may find yourself in the situation where several of your medications are no longer covered, or may cost you twice the price that they did from previous year. Or perhaps the pharmacy that you love is no longer an in-network pharmacy with your plan. These are situation where a Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) counselor can benefit you and help you to avoid unwanted “surprises” at the pharmacy in the beginning or during the upcoming year. Your local SHIP Counselor at LCCOA Outreach Department is happy to help!

Medicare Advantage plans may also have various changes from yearto-year, those of which may not be just related to prescription costs but also medical costs. During the Oct. 15-Dec, 7 time frame, you can join a Medicare Advantage plan, opt to enroll into a Part-D plan instead and return to Original Medicare, or change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another. All of these changes would take effect January 1, 2023.

It is worth noting that you may see Medicare Advantage plans advertised on T.V. or through the mail. While they can be a good fit for some Medicare beneficiaries, as SHIP Counselors we do advise to please do your research before enrolling into a Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare Advantage plans are NOT Medicare Supplements and are not for every Medicare beneficiary. To get the greatest benefit from the plan, it is worth it to make sure that your providers are in-network and that you understand all of the possible costs associated with the Medicare Advantage plan that you are considering. If you are considering a Medicare Advantage plan, speak with one of us at LCCOA this Open Enrollment to be sure you understand your benefits and weigh all of your options.

Annual Notice of Change

In the month of September you will receive what is known as the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letter from your current plan. This is important information regarding the upcoming changes your company plans to make with your plan. Do not disregard these letters — they are important! These letters allow you to be informed of the upcoming changes and review your options with LCCOA’s Outreach staff. It is not too early to call for your appointment. Please call 815-288-9236 and ask to schedule your Part D appointment.

WHITESIDE COUNTY ADRC We are gearing up for Med D season!

Med D Open enrollment begins October 15 and runs through December 7. We have Certified SHIP Counselors available to assist you with your Med D Plan comparisons.

You are probably asking: How can I get an appointment? Beginning September 1, we will accept phone calls for Med D appointments. Once we gather some basic information, we will get your requested packet mailed to you, and once we receive it back, we will contact you for a scheduled one-on-one appointment time at the center with a Certified SHIP Counselor to review your Med D plan.

This begins a very busy time for us, so we appreciate your patience! Appointments will be made in the order the packets are received.

We look forward to assisting as many individuals as possible this year!

ADRC satellite locations

Our Aging and Disabled Resource Center (ADRC) offers satellite locations throughout the county on Wednesdays, at the following locations:

Second Wednesday — Erie Library, 803 Eighth Ave., 9-11 a.m.; O’Dell Library, 307 S. Madison St., Morrison, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Third Wednesday — First Reformed Church, 510 15th Ave., Fulton, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Fourth Wednesday —Prophetstown Library, 209 W. Third St., 1-5 p.m. PLEASE NOTE: Service at this site has been temporarily paused due to elevator issues.

We offer walk-in days on Mondays from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. No appointment is needed and we will assist patrons on a first-come, first-serve basis. We can assist with BAA (license sticker discounts), Respite funds, Med D questions, Social Security Extra Help, Medicaid and Medicare Savings Program, Food Stamp or Link, Patient Assistance Programs, ITAC, Do-Not Call registry and information and referrals.

We currently have five notaries in the building who can assist you with notary services during business hours, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

September Medicare tip

Want to go to paperless and get Medicare publications electronically? Even when they aren’t available in print, some publications are available in a variety of eBook formats, which means you can download them to your favorite eReader and take them with you wherever you go. Visit Medicare.gov/publications and choose eBooks.

Come meet the new faces at WCSC

If you haven’t been to the Whiteside County Senior Center for a while, you will notice two new faces when you come!

Tracy Hubbard has joined our team as the new office bookkeeper. Most of you from Galt will remember her as she has spent the last 16 years serving the community at the Galt Post Office. Tracy is a graduate of Northern Illinois University in accounting. We are so pleased to have her with us at the Center.

We also have Angela Gibbs of Morrison joining our team as our new Marketing Coordinator. Angela spent most of her life in Corporate Marketing but most of you will know her from her community work in Morrison. Please help us make both of these wonderful women feel welcome at the Center. Angela will be having a roundtable discussion group at 11:30 a.m. on September 14 to discuss future trips; come share your ideas and preferences.

I know both Tracy and Angela can’t wait to meet you all!

Well, shucks, our seniors sure are helpful

The WCSC corn broil event was a great success, thanks to our members and volunteers shucking corn and donating pies and cakes.

WCSC food pantry is as good as gold

The Nutrition Environment Food Pantry Tool (NEFPAT) is implemented by University of Illinois Extension. This award signifies that the pantry offers nutritious foods to participants and promotes dignity to pantry guests by allowing choices within food options. The gold certificate means that they received the highest rating possible, which falls into the range of 32-42 points.

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