The SHIBA volunteers on San Juan Island would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center and the Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church for their generous offer of space for our volunteers to use to counsel Medicare clients.
Are you joining Medicare this year? First you will need to join Medicare. Depending on your circumstances you may be enrolled automatically by Social Security or you may have to submit an application. Then you will need to understand a lot of new information to make informed decision about your coverage choices. Medicare has its own vocabulary and rules and there are deadlines you need to meet and penalties (some lasting a lifetime) for not doing things at the right time.
Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity each year, October 15 through December 7, to review their insurance coverage and make sure that their current plans will be the right ones for them in the coming year.