Yoakum Community Hospital and Golden Crescent Area on Aging are hosting the 2020 Benefits Fair/ Open Enrollment on Thursday, November 7, 2019 at the Austin Street Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, 1308 E. Gonzales St., Yoakum, TX 77995. A presentation will be held from 11:30am – 1:30pm. Lunch will be served and will begin at 11:30am, followed by individual consultations until 1:30pm. Times will be extended if needed. Please be sure to bring your Medicare card and list of medication with you.

During Medicare Open Enrollment, which runs October 15, 2018 through December 7, 2019, you can enroll in or make changes to your Medicare health or prescription drug plan. Your coverage begins January 1, 2020. If you miss the deadline, you will likely have to wait a full year before you are able to make changes to your plan.

To make Medicare Open Enrollment part of your health lifestyle, follow these 5 important steps:

1. Review your current plan notice. Read any notices from your Medicare plan about changes for next year especially your “Annual Notice of Change” letter. Look at your plan’s information to make sure your drugs are still covered and your doctors are still in network.
2. Think about what matters most to you. Medicare health and drug plans change each year, and so can your health needs. Do you need a new primary care doctor? Does your network include the specialist you want for an upcoming surgery? Does your current plan cover your new medication? Does another plan offer the same coverage at a lower cost? Take stock of your health status and determine if you need to make a change.
3. Find out if you qualify for help paying for Medicare. Learn about programs in your state to help with the costs of Medicare premiums (through Medicare Savings Programs), your Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, and Medicare prescription drug coverage costs (through Extra Help). Visit Medicare.gov or call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
4. Shop for plans that meet your needs and fit your budget. Starting in October, you can use Medicare’s Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov/find-a-plan to see what plans are offered in your area. A new plan may: cost less, cover your drugs and let you go to the providers you want, like your doctor or pharmacy.
5. Check your plan’s Star Rating before you enroll. The Medicare Plan Finder is up-to-date with the Star Rating’s for Medicare health and prescription drug plans. Plans are given an overall quality rating on a 1 to 5 star scale, with 1 being the lowest and 5 stars being the highest. You can use Star Ratings to compare the quality of health and drug plans being offered.

Use the Plan Finder and other tools at medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-6333-4227) (TTY 1-877-486-2048) for help or join the upcoming event hosted by Yoakum Community Hospital and Golden Crescent Area on Aging 2020 Benefits Fair/Open Enrollment on Thursday. Please RSVP to Stephanie Lerch at (361) 293-2321 ext. 464 if you plan to attend, as lunch will be served.