Muncie Magazine January 2023

PUBLISHER

JEFF HERN jeff@townepost.com 317.796.0912

TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC.

FOUNDER/CEO

TOM BRITT tom@townepost.com 317.496.3599

PRESIDENT

JEANNE BRITT jeanne@townepost.com 317.810.0011

TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC.

8800 North Street, Suite 117 Fishers, IN 46038 Phone/Text: 317-810-0011

#SPOTLIGHTINGLOCAL

FOR FRANCHISE INFORMATION, VISIT franchising.townepost.com

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photographer / Amy Payne

Great things happen every day, all around us in our communities. Jeanne Britt and her husband Tom recognized that, so in 2004 they started Britt Interactive, LLC, which led to Towne Post Network, Inc,. wherein with their franchisees and staff they publish monthly community magazines that spotlight all things local.

“Connecting people and businesses in the community is a source of pride for us,” Jeanne says. “It’s our hope to bring a publication to readers’ coffee tables that is as enjoyable to read as it is filled with positive information showcasing all that makes each community great.”

The Britts initially operated their business out of a spare bedroom, with Tom focusing on sales, Jeanne managing the finances, and their small children folding and sealing the newsletters as they were back then - just six pages. As the company started to grow, the pair saw the potential for this model to work in other communities. Therefore, in 2015 they converted Towne Post to a franchise system. To date, they have 18 publications and 10 franchisees (some publishers own multiple territories).

“It’s been exciting,” says Jeanne, who has been working in the accounting side of the publishing industry for more than 25 years. “It was our hope to put out a publication that readers loved and held onto - not one they pitched into the recycling bin on their way from the mailbox through the garage.”

As president of Towne Post, Jeanne’s duties are numerous. She considers supporting Tom in business strategy, developing efficient processes, and the management and reporting of network franchise finances to be the foundation of her daily role. “The franchisees’ individual successes, as well the success of our network, is our top priority,” she says.

Though Jeanne considers herself to be a bit of an introvert, being part of the Towne Post team has helped to coax her out of her shell. As a result, she has been involved with a number of community events such as co-founding Vines for Life to benefit local cancer charities in Geist, and working with the Geist Half Marathon organizers in its early days.

Through the years, Jeanne has taken part in women-owned business groups, and has found that many women

agree that the primary challenge most women face is striking a healthy worklife balance. “I love being a part of a community of women supporting one another,” she says. “I’m in awe of women business owners who do it all on their own. Balance seems to be the one thing that I’m consistently pursuing, and not just because I’m an accounting person.”

She resolves to place some focus each day on the areas of life that are most important to her, which include health, family, spirituality, creative development and socializing. Jeanne, an avid reader, is part of a neighborhood book club and has just become a Little Free Library steward, installing a book exchange in her front yard. She also loves painting and mosaic art, travel, yoga, and walking her dog, River.

“Over the past 18 years, this journey has given Tom and I the opportunity to work beside each other and with our family in our community, taught us the value of teamwork, brought us new friends, and taught us many valuable life lessons,” Jeanne says. “Mostly, however, it’s given us a tremendous sense of joy and gratitude.”

“Connecting people and businesses in the community is a source of pride for us.”

— JEANNE BRITT

GRAVE UNDERTAKING

HISTORIC BEECH GROVE CEMETERY SEES RENOVATIONS AND REVITALIZATION

Writer / Aimee MacArthur Photographer / David Fennig

When Troy Watters became superintendent at Beech Grove Cemetery in July of 2022, he was happy to work at a historic location. “I love the job,” Watters says. “The reason I took the job is the passion I have for Beech Grove Cemetery.”

Watters is a lifelong Muncie resident who is proud to share his love of Muncie. He previously worked for Muncie Sanitary District.

The city-owned cemetery, which has been a part of Muncie history since 1841, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The property covers 140 scenic acres and is the final resting place of 44,000 individuals, including city founders and notable Muncie residents. Several members of the well-known

Ball family are interred at the cemetery.

History fans will find veteran graves from almost every war. Teachers and students visit the cemetery on field trips. “We’ve actually got sheets they can take with them for scavenger hunts,” Watters says.

Watters understands the appeal. “It’s just a peaceful, beautiful place with a lot of history,” he says. “The history just goes on and on.” Watters receives requests from people each week researching and tracing their family roots. He enjoys helping people find out information about loved ones.

Beech Grove Cemetery, an integral part of Muncie history, was in dire need of repairs. Watters was up to the challenge to help preserve history.

The chapel, built in 1921, required exterior

and interior renovations. Contractors were hired to help repair and restore the stone on the exterior of the building. “The outside of the structure is completely done now,” Watters says. He says the interior of the chapel is almost complete and those involved with the project are currently working on the finishing touches.

Watters asked for the city council’s help to acquire new and updated equipment for necessary repairs. He also hired additional employees to help complete renovation projects and maintain the grounds.

Watters and his employees made countless improvements to the landscape, including removing trees and updating and repairing headstones. The stone fence also needed to be repaired. “The stone fence was built in 1901,” Watters says. “It’s stone and wrought iron, and sections of it were falling. One section got hit

by a car. We finally got it done.”

Watters says he is grateful to his dedicated and hard-working employees. The employees were an integral part of completing project repairs within a short period of time.

The hard work paid off and visitors immediately noticed the changes to the cemetery. “I have people just walking in the cemetery, thanking me for the improvements,” Watters says.

Visitors can now walk dogs in the cemetery. All dogs are required to be on a leash, per city ordinance. “There’s a lady who drives up all the way from Marion just to walk her dog,” he says. There are also many people who walk the grounds, drive through, and even those who stop to take their break and eat lunch.”

Watters says he is lucky to have a group of hard-working volunteers. He is always looking for more people to donate their time and help at the cemetery. “We are always open for volunteers,” Watters says.

“If anybody wanted to volunteer to come in and clean headstones, mow and trim or anything, volunteers are welcome.”

Many groups volunteer their time, and members of the Boy Scouts work on projects at the cemetery.

Watters says the historic chapel can be rented for a fee to hold weddings, birthday parties and other events. He receives inquiries from people interested in having celebrations at a historic place. Anyone interested in renting the space can contact the office for fee information and other details.

The outside of the chapel and grounds is a

busy place where amateur and professional photographers take photos. Photographers can stop by the office to request permission before taking any photos.

Watters encourages members of the community to visit the cemetery any day of the week to see the improvements, take a walk, and enjoy some quiet and calm. Members of the public are welcome to attend

the cemetery’s annual Memorial Day and Labor Day celebrations. The Old West End Neighborhood Association holds a guided historic tour each October. Watters hopes more people will visit to experience an important part of Muncie’s history. Beech Grove Cemetery is located at 1400 West Kilgore Avenue in Muncie. For more info, call 765-741-1352 or visit beechgrovecemetery.com.

Gary Cooper working in a backhoe at Beechgrove

Troy Watters and Robert Dearinger making a plan to clear some trees

LOVING THE LAND

RED-TAIL LAND CONSERVANCY AIMS TO PROTECT LOCAL NATURE AND FARMLAND

Writer / Kylee White Photography Provided

Nature is able to tell stories in so many different ways - through the change in the leaves, or even the seasons. The team at RedTail Land Conservancy is working hard to make sure that places in nature are protected, so they can continue telling their stories.

Red-Tail is a group that preserves and protects natural areas and land in east-central Indiana. Julie Borgmann serves as executive director and believes in the importance of exploring and visiting nature.

“I was a pharmacist for the first 25 years of my life,” Borgmann says. “I care a great deal about connecting people to nature, and all of the health and well-being aspects of that.”

Borgmann had gotten involved with Red-Tail after making a career change from being a pharmacist. When she found

Red-Tail, she began volunteering her time with the group and eventually became the first part-time education outreach employee.

“I believe spending time in nature is really vital to our health and well-being,” Borgmann says. “I’ve tried to raise my kids teaching them to play and explore, and adventure outside. It wasn’t easy for me to find places and experiences to do that. I thought that if I’m working this hard and I know it’s important, how do people who don’t know how important and vital being outdoors is navigate that?”

Kelley Philips also works for Red-Tail as the communications and outreach manager. She began her time with Red-Tail after living and working in San Antonio, Texas.

“I completed a big project there in a park system and I was looking for something new,” Phillips says. “I was fortunate enough to run across Red-Tail in that search for a new

adventure. Since I came from a parks background, it was really exciting to move into this conservation category of land protection and preservation.”

The staff members and volunteers focus on preserving land, rather than focusing on getting people to gather and play outdoors.

“Nature preserves are sort of living museums,” Borgmann says.

“The goal of nature preserves isn’t to put in trails, but really to preserve habitats and wildlife, with people being a part of that experience. When people go to our nature preserves they aren’t going to see the same amenities they’d find at a state park. They’re not going to find bathrooms, picnic facilities, big, wide trails and a big parking lot. You’re going to tend to find more narrow trails. You might find poison ivy on the trails, but you’re also going to see giant woodpeckers, and hear the warblers migrating in the spring.”

A few Red-Tail areas are accessible to everyone, including those with wheelchairs or walkers, and those with limited abilities.

“If you are a senior or someone with limited ability, RedTail nature reserve is a good place to visit because directly from the parking lot, there is a nice flat plaza that overlooks nature,” Phillips says.

Land can sometimes be tricky in how people can observe it, simply due to unpredictability. Narrow paths can sometimes be obstructed, and areas can sometimes be littered. RedTail has been able to thrive through the help of not only Borgmann and Phillips, but also the volunteers who share their time to help in the preservation of these lands.

“I think that we really made an accomplishment with our volunteer group,” Phillips says. “It’s really meaningful work. What we do, we just can’t do without volunteers Being able to see how many people will donate their time and service to be able to give back to the land and community, I am really proud of all the volunteers and of what they’ve helped us accomplish.”

A large amount of volunteers are retirees who dedicate their time to restoring nature and spending time outdoors. They also offer an adult learning opportunity known as the Indiana Master Naturalist program. This class allows individuals to learn more about nature. It’s held every fall and is open to anyone with any experience wanting to join.

To learn more and get involved with Red-Tail Land Conservancy, visit fortheland.org. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.

MUNCIE MANUFACTURING ALLIANCE, IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A SKILLED, EDUCATED WORKFORCE

The Muncie Manufacturing Alliance (MMA), co-led by Stephen Brand, General Manager of Magna, and Todd Murray, President and CEO of Mursix Corporation, announced that the MMA is endorsing Ivy Tech Community College Muncie Campus as their exclusive educational resource for its members. Ivy Tech Muncie has committed to offer specialized programs to help local manufacturers train encumbered employees, new hires, co-brand recruiting efforts and provide professional development resources.

“The partnership with Ivy Tech and MMA will continue to provide a collective approach and create opportunities for employees to develop and, in turn, will help our industry grow,” Brand says. “For the last couple of years, Magna had an industrial maintenance need, much like many of our MMA partners. We invested in our employees to ‘grow our own’ industrial maintenance technicians. Ivy Tech created pathways for our employees, has been flexible with scheduling, and tailored the program to fit industry needs. Connecting Magna employees with other MMA members’ employees will allow greater opportunity for more training and ultimately in growing the advanced technology industry.”

“Ivy Tech is a local asset,” Murray says. "Even as new organizations come to Muncie, our local economic development, and the MuncieDelaware County Chamber of Commerce, are realizing how easy it is to work with Muncie’s local Ivy Tech. Many of our organizations face the same challenges, so working collectively can help us pool resources, share intel, and future growth so that as an industry sector

we can leverage strategies and mitigate impact. Ivy Tech has provided educational resources to many of our Mursix employees, and their graduates are some of our best associates.”

“Ivy Tech Muncie is proud of the endorsement from the MMA,” Chancellor Jeffery D. Scott says. “The entire College is committed to this partnership. Our strategic plan for this partnership is multipronged, entire team approach. Muncie’s economic footprint is growing in manufacturing. We must be nimble, flexible and offer tailored programming to help provide Muncie’s manufacturers with a skilled, knowledgeable, and educated workforce. True growth cannot happen in a vacuum. Industry, education, government entities, and economic development working together is essential. Ivy Tech will continue to work with industry to always do the right things for the right reasons.”

Jennifer Gasiorek, Vice Chancellor of Workforce Partnerships and Strategic Communication, will coordinate the effort with the Career Link team, academic teams, enrollment, student success, and development to provide strategic framework for this initiative. Ivy Tech has worked with many of the MMA members in the past; however, the endorsement will help those smaller employers work together.

“We know that not all manufacturers are as large as Magna and Mursix. If one or two students come from multiple organizations participate, then we can run the course cost-effectively while providing quality, customized programming to help companies grow their talent. I’m excited to brainstorm and collaborate with our Ivy Tech team, MMA partners, and provide customized solutions,” Gasiorek says.

Story & Photos Provided

The next MMA meeting will be at Ivy Tech’s Cowan Road location on January 18th at 3:00 p.m. For more information about MMA please contact Stephen Brand, stephen.brand@magna. com, or Todd Murray, tmurray@mursix.com. To learn more about Ivy Tech’s workforce training opportunities contact Jennifer Gasiorek, jgasiorek@ivytech.edu.

ABOUT MUNCIE MANUFACTURING ALLIANCE

The Muncie Manufacturing Alliance (MMA) is a consortium comprised of over 50 local manufacturing leaders. The MMA meets quarterly to share and discuss ideas, issues, and strategies that lead to local industry growth.

ABOUT IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns to the needs of the community. The College provides seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a Bachelor’s degree. Follow Ivy Tech on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn for the most up-todate information.

2022 IN REVIEW

BUILDING MOMENTUM

MAINTAINING THE COURSE

MAYOR'S STATEMENT

As I reflect on a year of monumental growth, I am struck with gratitude for our hard working team, our dedicated citizens, our corporate and nonprofit partners, and everyone else who works to make our city a better place. We have seen more single family residential building permits than the last three years combined, 226 accessible curbs, 68 roads, more than 300 trees planted, and many more tangible improvements that will reap benefits for years to come.

Muncie has Momentum, and we are just getting started. Here's to another year of growth, development, and innovation.

FIRST RESPONDERS

In 2020, the Police Department was severely understaffed with just 86 officers on the street. After appointing a new police chief and two deputy chiefs, and working with the Mayor to secure a 9% raise for officers, the Muncie Police Department achieved a full staff of 100+ officers in 2022.

WATER RESCUE

On October 30, at 1:30 am, three police officers responded to a 911 call from a young woman whose car was sinking into the White River. Officer Casey Bell, Sgt. James Lennox, and Sgt. Greg Skaggs plunged into dangerously cold water as the car submerged, and fought currents to break the window and pull the driver to safety.

This summer, the Fire Department swore in an exemplary cohort of 12 fire fighters. Fire Chief Mead spoke highly of the group’s dedication and work ethic: “I’ve not seen a group like this before ” The group immediately began their EMS training, and will continue ongoing, rigorous education The Fire Department is nearly fully staffed.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

G R O W T H G R O W T H N E W

The Chamber of Commerce welcomed 58 new members, and hosted 333 ribbon cuttings! New businesses include restaurants, virtual reality, personal finance, professional services, hospice care, and much more

The City has also been a proud supporter of Impact Economics, an initiative that offers a free class to help local entrepreneurs create profitable, ethical businesses. The city, through grants, loans, tax abatements, and other forms of assistance, has allocated $7.7 million to help businesses grow in 2022

REMOTE WORK RENAISSANCE

Through the Make My Move program, the city has helped 20 individuals with remote employment relocate their families to Muncie. 10 more families have signed contracts and will be moving shortly. The program helps boost development in Delaware County, and has resulted in $2 3 million in economic impact this year!

Unique Benefits of Remote Workers

ECONOMIC GROWTH

A remote worker earning $150,000 will spend nearly $110,000 in Muncie, and pay an estimated $14,000 in tax revenues!

POPULATION GROWTH

The average family size to move to Muncie is 2.75. More children enrolled in local schools helps raise the school budget!

CULTURAL GROWTH

New families bring new ideas, traditions, perspectives, and talents into the community

Tiara Hicks, founder and owner of Rosebud Coffee House, receiving the Community Impact Entrepreneur of the Year Award

TIARA HICKS Rosebud Coffee House

QUALITY OF LIFE

Parks

N e a r l y c o m p l e t e d M e m o r y S p i r a l a t H e e k i n P a r k N e w b e a c h s a n d a t P r a i r i e C r e e k , c o u r t e s y o f t h e I R O N M A N F o u n d a t i o n

N e w t r e e s f r o m t h e 1 , 0 0 0 T r e e s i n 1 , 0 0 0 D a y s i n i t i a t i v e

C o n c r e t e l a i d f o r R i v e r v i e w S p l a s h P a d R e s u r f a c e d b a s k e t b a l l c o u r t a t J a c k ' s P a r k

A D A a c c e s s i b l e r a m p a t C o o l e y P a r k F l o a t i n g d o c k s g o i n g i n a t P r a i r i e C r e e k

A D A a c c e s s i b l e d o c k s a t P r a i r i e C r e e k S e c u r i t y c a m e r a s i n s t a l l e d a t H e e k i n , T u h e y , M o r n i n g s i d e , C o o l e y , a n d T h o m a s P a r k

Public Works

RAISING THE BAR

IMuncie first held a 70.3 mile triathlon in 1980, less than 10 years after the sport was created Since then, Muncie has held a swim-bike-run event every year, holding the title for the longest streak of annual 70 3 triathlons This year, Muncie's IRONMAN 70.3 was rated the number one participant experience in North America! Nearly 5,000 visitors came to Muncie for the event, with an estimated $1.9 million economic impact. The 2022 Muncie IRONMAN was also unique because of its partnership with the Muncie Sanitary District. By providing recycling locations, donating unused items, and taking trash to a waste-to-energy facility in Indianapolis, no garbage from the event went to a landfill, as opposed to 15 tons of waste in 2021

Provided by Parade.com

Dairy Queen was one of the first food chains to start franchising in 1955 and had everyone screaming for ice cream with their Dilly Bars and Mr. Misty. 2

Eating in front of the TV got a lot better when TV dinners were introduced. There were only originally four main courses sold by Swanson: meatloaf, fried chicken, turkey and Salisbury steak.

Impressionable Boomers started ‘smoking’ bubble gum cigarettes that would puff out powdered sugar as smoke.

One of the most popular side dishes in the 60s was Rice-a-Roni, known as “The San Francisco Treat.” Its commercials all started with the distinct cable car bell ringing.

Hopalong Cassidy, a TV Western hero, was the first image ever put onto a lunch box. It was a runaway hit, selling more

than 600,000 at $2.39 each in its first year. 6

At the height of its 1950s fad, more than 5000 Davy Crockett coonskin hats sold each day, showing the power of television on commerce—the popularity of the Davy Crockett show drove sales through the roof. 7

Think it was just the famous Beatles on the front of the Abbey Road cover? Astute Boomers also noticed that a VW Beetle was in the photo on this record that featured the lead single “Something/”Come Together”. 8

“Shake, Shake, Shake, Shake Shake, Shake Shake Your Booty” holds the record for being the only number-one song title with a word repeated more than three times in it. 9

Freddie Mercury was a young 24 when he started fronting the British rock group Queen in 1970. 11

“Sweet Georgia Brown” was whistled as the theme song at the Harlem Globetrotters games. 12

The game Twister, which once got Johnny Carson and Eva Gabor in tangles on The Tonight Show, got its beginnings as a game of tic-tac-toe to be played with your feet. 13

The reason yo-yos became so iconic? The launch of the Butterfly yoyo by Duncan in the ‘50s made it easier for Boomers to do tricks and stunts with their yo-yos, which helped fuel the craze. 14

Elizabeth may have been 25 when she became a queen in 1953, but

Ricky Nelson was second only to Elvis as the most popular rock ‘n’ roll artist from 1957 to 1962. 10

“Barbie was the ultimate doll— but Baby Boomers experienced everything from Betsy Wetsy who had problems “holding it” to Growing Up Skipper who got taller if you turned the knob.

One of the most iconic toys from the Baby Boomer era? Stretch Armstrong—a musclebound action figure that had the physical ability to be stretched almost five feet. 16

It’s all so EGG-citing! Two products from the Boom Era came packaged in plastic eggs–Silly Putty and L’eggs Pantyhose. 17

The price of the average movie ticket in 1975 was $2. 18

The first show to ever be broadcast in color on ABC-TV was The Jetsons, which debuted in 1962 and had Boomers dreaming of walking their dog on a treadmill in space just like George walked Astro. 19

Bob Keeshan was a Boomer favorite in three different decades

as Captain Kangaroo. He was also the original Clarabell the clown on The Howdy Doody Show in the 1950s. 20

Definitely not suitable for today’s roads but in 1969’s Easy Rider, Peter Fonda sported a “Captain America” red, white, and blue helmet, while Jack Nicholson donned a gold American football helmet. Another baby boomer fact: This cult classic was one of the first to use prerecorded music for a soundtrack. 21

Alfred Hitchcock Presents is well known for its opening credits with a camera fade in on a line-drawing caricature of Hitchcock’s profile, the theme music of “Funeral March of a Marionette” and Hitchcock’s walk to the center of the screen and his trademark “Good evening.” 22

Young love bloomed with the movie star set in the 50s and 60s,

with Mia Farrow marrying Frank Sinatra when she was 21 and Elizabeth Taylor marrying Nicky Hilton when she was only 18 years old. 23

Every day, baby boomers recited the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of their school day. 24

During Vietnam over five million Americans wore bracelets with a POW’s name, rank and loss date in support of our troops. 25

A number of iconic Baby Boomer celebrities wound up going into politics including Love Boat’s Fred Grandy (Congress) Sonny Bono (Palm Springs Mayor and Congressman,) and Clint Eastwood (Mayor of Carmel, CA).

THE A B C’S… AND D OF MEDICARE

Writter / Julie Corcoran

Ask a senior what’s important to them, and somewhere at the top of their list is having reliable and affordable health coverage. They may be facing worsening health issues, visits to specialists and increased medications. This can add up to considerable expenses, and usually at a time when they are on a fixed income or wondering if their retirement savings will last. Most seniors understand that turning 65 equates to eligibility for Medicare, and as their 65th birthday approaches, they experience a constant barrage of Medicare mail, commercials and phone calls that leave them with a sense of urgency, but also with a great deal of confusion on how to make sense of it all.

At its core, Medicare was designed to help seniors access medical care while also helping to control their costs. It covers individuals aged 65 and over, individuals under 65 with certain disabilities, and individuals of all ages with end-stage renal disease. If you are confused about how Medicare works, you are not alone. Figuring out when to enroll in Medicare and which parts to enroll in can be intimidating for even the savviest retirees - but there is help.

First you need to understand the ABCs - and Ds - of Medicare. Think of these as building blocks of Medicare. At the foundation is original Medicare, which consists of Parts A and B.

HELPS PAY FOR DOCTOR VISITS AND OUTPATIENT CARE.

SUPPLEMENT (MEDIGAP): Helps fill in the costs not covered by Parts A and B.

Neither Part A or Part B cover prescription drugs. That’s where Part D comes in.

HELPS COVER PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

HELPS PAY FOR HOSPITAL STAYS AND INPATIENT CARE.

Another option is Part C, commonly known as Medicare Advantage Plans. These plans are offered by private insurers and cover all the services of Medicare Parts A and B, but many also include prescription drugs and some limited dental, vision

* * *

It’s certainly not an easy program to understand, but even in its complexity, Medicare successfully serves the needs of more than 60 million people, and that number is growing. The trick is understanding how to customize the program so that it fits your needs. At the heart of the Medicare challenge is understanding that Medicare is tailored to an individual. What may be the right coverage for your friend or family member may not be the right coverage for you. To help you make that determination, there are a few things to keep in mind.

ASSESS YOUR MEDICAL NEEDS. Think about your medical needs, the number of doctors you see and the medications you take. Are you relatively healthy, or do you have a chronic illness that has you visiting several specialists each year and undergoing multiple tests and procedures on a regular basis? Do you spend several weeks or months in another state? Your answers can help evaluate which Medicare options will service your needs.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE CALENDAR. Timing of Medicare enrollment is crucial. The enrollment window generally opens three months before the month of your 65th birthday and closes seven months later. There are exceptions to enrolling when you are 65, especially if you plan to keep working and have credible group coverage, but if you don’t understand this exception, missing the enrollment window can be costly. There is also an Annual Enrollment Period from October 15 to December 7, when Medicare recipients can make changes to their Medicare coverage that are effective for the coming January. In addition, you may switch Medicare coverage at any time due to special circumstances (such as moving to a different service area, receiving Medicaid assistance or loss of retiree health coverage).

UNDERSTAND THE COSTS. Medicare is not free, and recipients should expect to pay a monthly premium, deductibles and copays depending on the parts of Medicare selected. As mentioned above, even though Part A is free to most, the cost for Part B premiums is tied to taxable income. The higher your modified adjusted gross income, the higher your Part B premium. The same goes for your Part D premium.

BE WARY OF UNSOLICITED PHONE CALLS.

Unsolicited calls may result in your enrollment into a Medicare plan that you did not intend. Be careful when talking with a caller. If you did not ask them to contact you, you should end the call. Just as you would not give out your Social Security number, do not give out your Medicare number.

Working with a trusted and knowledgeable agent can save you time and money. A good agent listens to what is important to you, educates you on your options, and helps you select a plan that fits your needs. They can also help customize your options as your medical needs and financial resources change in the years ahead. One such local agency is Easy Street Insurance. Specializing in Medicare for more than 25 years, their agents help you customize a Medicare plan that suits your needs. Meeting with their agents comes at no cost or pressure to you. In the process, you will gain an advocate that can partner with you in the years ahead, and help you navigate the ever-changing Medicare system. For more on Easy Street Insurance, cal 317-882-9602 or visit easystreetins.com.

WORK WITH AN EXPERIENCED MEDICARE AGENT.

HELPS COVER SERVICES OF MEDICARE PARTS A AND B (YOU MUST STILL BE ENROLLED IN PART A AND PAY FOR PART B). FOR MANY, A PART C OR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN RESEMBLES GROUP COVERAGE SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED DURING THEIR WORKING YEARS.