About Medicare
We know that Medicare can be confusing, we are here to help!
Click on the buttons below for more information about the components of Medicare.
Click here to watch a recording of one of our Medicare Basics webinars.
(Video is from 2020. Medicare policies and programs may change from year to year.
Contact us or join us for an upcoming session for the most current and accurate information.)
Open Enrollment Period
Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is the time when you review and can change Part C or D coverage; it runs from October 15 – December 7 each year and coverage begins on the first day of the following year.
We always say “it pays to compare” your drug plans every year. During OEP 2023, our staff and SHIIP volunteers provided one-on-one counseling to 1,208 individuals. For the fourteenth consecutive year, more than half of beneficiaries who had a stand-alone Part D drug plan needed to switch coverage to save money. We helped “switchers” obtain a mean projected annual savings in 2024 of $1,300 (median = $433)! Individuals who had not used our Medicare counseling services in the past were more likely to switch plans (66%) for a mean savings of $959 (median of $594).
If you qualify for “extra help” through a federal program that lowers your drug costs, you can change your Medicare drug coverage at any time. There are other special circumstances when you can change your drug plan outside of the Annual Election Period, click here for information about the Special Enrollment Period.
Drug Plan Finder
Medicare’s Web site (www.medicare.gov) has a drug plan finder tool that helps beneficiaries sort all the drug plans to select the best option available and also helps individuals enroll. You can obtain this same information by calling Medicare (1-800-633-4227), contacting NC SHIIP (1-855-408-1212), or in Durham, by setting up an appointment with Senior PharmAssist (919-688-4772).
The best plan for you depends on the medications that you take. When comparing plans, note that the pharmacy you choose also affects cost. Make sure your pharmacy is preferred by the plan. If it isn’t preferred, but you would rather stay with your pharmacy than switch, compare the plans that your pharmacy does accept.