Medicare Enrollment Presentation At Clewiston Library

Clewiston, FL – The Medicare Open Enrollment Period is underway through December 7. For many Medicare beneficiaries, this period is their only opportunity to change plans for 2020. Future and current Medicare beneficiaries are invited to a free presentation in Clewiston to prepare for enrollment. 

SHINE will offer a Medicare Open Enrollment presentation at the Clewiston Public Library on Monday, November 18 at 5:00 p.m. The Clewiston Public Library is located at 120 W. Osceola Ave.   The presentation will feature professionally trained counselors of the SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) program.  SHINE is a Medicare counseling program offered locally through the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (AAASWFL).

The Medicare open enrollment presentation reviews the basics of Medicare parts A, B, C, and D, with an emphasis on preparing for the open enrollment period and the new online Medicare Plan Finder tool. Participants will learn about their Medicare options and discover how to save on prescription (Part D) expenses.  A counselor will be available to answer questions after the presentation.

SHINE is a program of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and is operated locally through AAASWFL. Specially trained SHINE counselors help educate and empower Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to understand their health care options so they can make the best decisions for their individual needs.  The SHINE mission is to provide free and unbiased information about Medicare and Medicaid for beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers.

Additionally, counselors can educate beneficiaries about the benefits of their Medicare programs, like preventive services. SHINE counselors can also assist low-income Medicare beneficiaries in applying for cost saving programs.   As part of the national Senior Medicare Patrol program, SHINE counselors also educate beneficiaries to protect, detect, and report potential errors, fraud, and abuse with their Medicare coverage.

To receive help from SHINE, individuals may call to schedule appointments at designated SHINE counseling sites, attend enrollment events in their local communities, or arrange to speak with a trained SHINE counselor by calling the AAASWFL Elder Helpline 1-866-41-ELDER (1-866-413-5337). For a listing of SHINE counseling sites and enrollment events, please visit www.floridashine.org.