Free Counseling For Seniors Making Medicare Changes

The Louisiana Department of Insurance Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) has counselors who are working to help Medicare beneficiaries who are picking their health plans for the first time or making changes.

Each year seniors have open enrollment where they can join Medicare for the first time or make changes.  They can make changes to the following:

• health plans
• prescription drug plans
• health insurance claims
• supplemental insurance
• long-term care insurance policy comparisons
• The Medicare appeals process

Because the opportunity to make changes to Medicare plans only comes once a year, I urge Louisiana seniors to contact our SHIIP counselors, who will be available by phone and in-person, to make sure they are on the plan that’s best for them,”. These plans can change, so the option you selected in 2012 may not necessarily offer the best coverage for you in 2013,” said Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon.

Seniors will have several weeks to make changes as the dates for open enrollment are October 15th through December 7th.

You can find out when a meeting will be held in your area and other program information by going to www.ldi.la.gov/SHIIP/calendar.

If you would like to talk to a counselor, you can call for free at 1-800-259-5300.