Medicare enrollment deadline Dec. 31
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[December 29, 2010]
CHICAGO --
As the Dec. 31st deadline nears for Medicare enrollees to
choose a new Medicare benefit plan, and to select or change a
Medicare drug plan for 2011, the Quinn administration is encouraging
seniors and other Medicare recipients to review and compare coverage
and benefit options in order to find a plan that best meets their
needs. Medicare beneficiaries who have not enrolled in a Medicare
drug plan before, or who want to make changes to an existing plan,
should do so as soon as possible in order to ensure uninterrupted
access to medications at chosen pharmacies in January.
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The Illinois Department of Insurance's Senior Health Insurance
Program, known as SHIP, can help Medicare-eligible individuals
determine how they would like to receive Medicare health benefits
next year and can provide information on new benefits provided under
the federal Affordable Care Act. SHIP staff can be reached toll-free
at 1-800-548-9034, or you can visit the SHIP website at
http://insurance.Illinois.gov/SHIP/ to find a SHIP volunteer in
your area. Medicare representatives are also available 24 hours a
day, seven days a week at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)."With
just days remaining in Medicare's open enrollment season, our
tireless staff has been helping eligible individuals, families,
friends and caregivers learn about available prescription drug and
health plan options," said Michael T. McRaith, director of the
Illinois Department of Insurance. "Through our toll-free hot line
and free counseling sessions, we can help eligible individuals
compare costs and coverage, and provide information on new
protections under the Affordable Care Act -- including how to reduce
the prescription drug coverage ‘doughnut hole' through available
discounts on covered brand-name prescription drugs."
Through its staff and a network of
hundreds of trained volunteers at more than 180 sites throughout the
state, SHIP assists Illinoisans who have questions about or problems
with:
-
Medicare.
-
Medicare
supplemental insurance.
-
Medicare Advantage
plans -- HMO, PPO and PFFS.
-
Medicare claims and
appeals.
-
Prescription drug
coverage through Medicare and other sources.
-
Long-term care insurance.
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Every SHIP office is volunteer-based and supported by local
sponsoring organizations. In 2009 alone, SHIP volunteers provided
over 54,000 hours of counseling, responded to more than 37,000
telephone calls and saved Medicare beneficiaries an estimated $16.2
million. Gov. Pat Quinn proclaimed the week of Nov. 15-19 this year
as "SHIP Week" to recognize the nearly 300,000 hours of free
counseling provided to Illinois' Medicare beneficiaries.
[Text from
Illinois Department of
Insurance file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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