Time for your fall checkup!

~ Kyla Kelim, Aging in Alabama, Elder Attorney

 

We are pretty good about checkups. On your calendar, no doubt, you have appointments for physical checkups, eye checkups, dental checkups, HVAC checkups and even vehicular checkups. The one thing you may not have is your Medicare checkup, available for the next 9 weeks only.

Open enrollment for Medicare recipients occurs from October 15 to December 7 annually. This is the only time you can check your coverage for the next calendar year and, if appropriate, change to another program. For Alabama Medicare recipients, this is also the only time you can change your coverage under Blue Cross' supplemental plans.

Free counseling is available through the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP), to help seniors navigate through this quagmire of regulations and confusing information. This can save you thousands so do yourself and your loved ones a favor and put this checkup on your calendar. Call 1-800-AGELINE to make an appointment today.

In this silly season leading up to the election, we are hard pressed to find reasons to celebrate our government. The SHIP program is one of those rare reasons, so call and schedule your checkup today!