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Medicare Annual Enrollment: Free, Unbiased Help

Friday, September 29th, 2023

Choosing a Medicare Plan Can Be Confusing. Choosing the Wrong Plan Can Be Costly. Medicare Annual Enrollment is happening from October 15 - December 7. It's the time of year when people already enrolled in Medicare can make changes and choice for the upcoming year. During this time, beneficiaries can: Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan, or vice versa Make choices about Part D Prescription plans During this time ...

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65 and Enrolled in Healthy Michigan? It’s Time to Move into Medicare.

Wednesday, June 7th, 2023

During the Covid pandemic, the federal government ordered states to keep people enrolled in Medicaid, the state-run health insurance program for low-income residents. That meant that recipients did not have to reapply for benefits each year. Now that ‘continuous enrollment’ in Medicaid and Healthy Michigan (the Medicaid program for people 19 to 64 years old) is ending this month many seniors may need to reapply for Medicaid benefits, or perhaps even apply ...

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Programs Help Low-income Medicare Beneficiaries Save

Thursday, May 26th, 2022

Medicare Savings Programs Can Help with Deductibles, Co-insurance and Co-pays Medicare, the federal health insurance program, is guaranteed to all Americans 65 and older, and while it’s low-cost, it’s not free. Medicare comes with copays, coinsurance and premiums that are based on your income. But you may qualify for a Medicare Savings Program. How Can You Find Out If  You Qualify? If you qualify for programs that cover your copays, coinsurance or premiums, you ...

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Volunteer Helps Save Medicare Beneficiary Thousands

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022

Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program Volunteer Cuts Through the Red Tape and Saves  Money Medicare beneficiary, Henrietta, found out the hard way that signing up for a Medicare plan isn’t a slam dunk. When the Novi resident, a registered nurse, retired in late 2020, she signed up online for a Medigap plan, which covers some coinsurance, copays and deductibles. She paid $277 per month for the plan. She also had Part B and ...

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Medicare Advantage Q & A: Unbiased Answers from a Michigan Nonprofit

Wednesday, January 12th, 2022

The window is open for Medicare beneficiaries to sign up for a different Medicare Advantage plan or switch back to Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and select a prescription drug plan (Part D). The enrollment period goes through March 31. AgeWays’s Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) has certified counselors who can help you explore your options and enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that works for your health care needs ...

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Volunteer Counselors Ready to Help During Medicare Open Enrollment

Tuesday, September 28th, 2021

George Wojdacki calls himself the “piece of cheese at the end of the maze,” the guy you reach after bumping into walls trying to understand your Medicare benefits. Wojdacki, a certified Medicare counselor who volunteers with AgeWays’s Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP), has saved a lot of money for a lot of seniors who would otherwise ignore notices of changes in their benefits. Last year, he and some 60 other volunteers saved ...

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Medicare and Long-Term Care: What to Expect

Friday, October 2nd, 2020

Medicare is the health care insurance program for Americans who are 65 and older. It’s not entirely free – most participants pay premiums and copays – but it covers hospitalization, doctor visits, medical equipment and supplies, prescription drugs and more. However, many people assume Medicare will also cover long-term care, like an in-home aide or unskilled care in a nursing home. It won’t. Because of the complexity of the program, you may not ...

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Medicare and Medicaid Long-Term Care: What Does It Cover

Friday, August 2nd, 2019

If you or a loved one require long-term personal or medical care, you may be wondering what is covered and what isn’t under federal and state programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Both Medicare and Medicaid may help pay for some long-term care services. However, the circumstances in which each coverage can be used are limited, and each program has strict rules about Whether you qualify for benefits Which long-term services ...

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Get Help Understanding Your Options During Medicare Open Enrollment

Wednesday, November 1st, 2017

Open Enrollment runs annually October 15 through December 7. It’s the one time of year that you can make changes to your plan choices regarding Part D Prescription plans or Medicare Advantage plans. During Open Enrollment you can: Enroll in or switch Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans Change from original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan or switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan to original Medicare Switch Medicare Advantage Plans Plan ...

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Yearly Review Important for Medicare Part D Prescription Plan

Thursday, November 3rd, 2016

It’s an important time of year for Medicare beneficiaries. Medicare’s “Coordinated Election Period” or “Open Enrollment Period” is in full swing. It started on Saturday, October 15 and continues through Wednesday, December 7, 2016. This Open Enrollment Period happens on these same dates every year—October 15 to December 7. What Is Open Enrollment? Open Enrollment is the time that Medicare beneficiaries can make changes to their plans, especially when it comes to ...

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