WHITEHALL — With Medicare's open enrollment period beginning Oct. 15, Senior Resources of West Michigan's Joan Schmiedeknecht makes it her business to participate in what the company calls "Medicare 101" information sessions to give seniors new to Medicare, or those caring for them, a guide to what to expect.
Such a session took place Wednesday, Sept. 10 at the White Lake Community Library, and over a dozen people turned out to collect information.
"We are having open enrollment up at the White Lake Senior Center starting next month," Schmiedeknecht said; the exact dates had not been determined at time of interview. "I have a volunteer working up at the White Lake Senior Center. They would just call us (at 231-733-3572) to schedule the appointment."
Schmiedeknecht ran down the different parts of Medicare coverage, which include Part A for hospital stays, Part B for the sort of health insurance most people are familiar with, Part C for the Medicare Advantage plan, and Part D for prescription drug coverage. Parts A and B are what she called "original Medicare," while Part C is another option that combines Parts A and B together. Those without Part C can possibly purchase a supplementary policy known colloquially as "Medigap," which helps cover copays and coinsurance after initial deductibles are met. Part D is not required, but if you enroll in it after the initial enrollment period, you pay a penalty; Schmiedeknecht said there are zero-premium plans, so it makes sense to choose that coverage.
Those who are already receiving Social Security automatically are enrolled at age 65, while those who are not may do so during a special enrollment period that begins three months before they turn 65 and ends three months afterward. It's recommended those people contact the Social Security Administration themselves if not already receiving Social Security to get the process moving. There are also special enrollment periods for those over 65 who have lost employer coverage, are low-income, or move outside the service area for their existing coverage.
If that doesn't all make sense upon first reading, that's exactly why Schmiedeknecht and her employers are here. She said "no question is too trivial" to reach out with questions.
"I sit with clients in the office," Schmiedeknecht said. "I go out and do big wellness fairs. I hand out brochures to different organizations, so they know where we're at to come in and see us. That's part of our outreach."
Unfortunately, Medicare scams are common, as scammers believe the elderly are easy targets. Those who come across a suspected scam should reach out to the Senior Medicare Patrol, a statewide program. It's emphasized that Medicare already has the Medicare enrollment number for each enrollee and will never ask for it over the phone or in any public setting.
