From Oct. 15 through Dec. 15, many seniors will be reviewing their Medicare options and many others who are turning 65 in the next year will be trying to work their way through all the details and choices available for their future health insurance.
Fifteen years ago, as I was contemplating early retirement at 62 (after working full time for 45 years), some senior citizen friends of mine warned me I was in for a big challenge. They were right. Since that time when I muddled my way through what I’d need and what it cost, seniors have been “given a choice” with the availability of dozens of new plans for health insurance and prescription medication.
Southern Maine Agency on Aging does not sell insurance, but the experts there do provide information which can make this whole process easier to understand and help you make informed decisions.
SMAA offers seminars to help you sort through your Medicare options and to get the best benefits you can. Welcome to Medicare seminars are available in York and Cumberland counties, the areas served by SMAA. They suggest a donation of $35 to attend, which includes a one-on-one follow-up session. Clinics are two hours long, beginning at 10 a.m. and some evenings. Registration is required. Call 396-6500 in the Portland area or 800-427-7411 to sign up or send an online form.
The schedule is as follows:
Scarborough: At Southern Maine Agency on Aging, 136 U.S.Route 1. Call 800-427-7411 for specific days and times.
Springvale: At Nasson Community Center, 457 Main St., fourth Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m.
Windham: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 919 Roosevelt Trail, first and third Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-noon
Bridgton: Seminars are offered each month and individual sessions are available every week in Bridgton. (Reach Stan Cohen through the Bridgton Community Center at 647-3116 for an appointment – or show up at Bridgton Hospital on Tuesdays between 8:30 and 11 a.m.)
Bring the following with you: Medicare card (if you have one), Social Security number, a list of drugs and quantities you take, income and asset figures (in case you qualify for reduced costs) and current health insurance information.
Speaking of your health, according to the reports from participants in the Living Well for Better Health program, these workshops help seniors who have ongoing health issues “live better” and enjoy life more.
The Portland YMCA and Southern Maine Agency on Aging offer a six-week Living Well for Better Health workshop for people with ongoing health conditions. The workshop takes place at the Portland YMCA on Tuesdays, Nov. 1 to Dec. 12 from 2:30-5 p.m. A $15 gas card is provided for attending the workshop. Register by Oct. 24 at 874-1111. For more information, call Jessica LeBlanc at 1-800-400-6325, ext. 583.
MaineHealth and the SMAA offer the same program at Maine Medical Center Family Medicine in Portland from Nov. 1 through Dec. 6. Registration is due by Oct. 24. For more information or to register call Jessica LeBlanc at 1-800-400-6325, Ext. 583.
Thanks to reader suggestions, we are planning future columns on housing options for seniors; staying at home with help; around-the-house safety tips; and how to write your own history.
Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
