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Medicare workshop held in Brunswick
(The Brunswick News Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dec. 9--A workshop to help seniors understand the prescription drug benefits of Medicare will be held Wednesday in Brunswick.
A representative from GeorgiaCares, a state program aimed at helping seniors with health insurance, will answer questions about Part D of Medicare, which involves prescription drugs.
Each year, from Nov. 15 to Dec. 31, seniors have the option of switching plans. Because plans constantly change, everyone who uses Medicare should check to see if a different plan is better suited to their needs, said Monica Couch, Elder Rights and Advocacy Program manager for the Coastal Georgia Area Agency on Aging, which oversees GeorgiaCares.
"It's important that beneficiaries compare because it could save them quite a bit of money."
The workshops are sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-1, and are being held across the congressional district this week. In the 1st District, 51,841 people use Plan D.
Kingston's office has held the workshops each year since Plan D was implemented in 2005.
"We're trying to get as many seniors as possible out so that everyone in the family who understands the importance of prescription drugs to their quality of life can have an opportunity to ask questions," Kingston said. "These things are confusing and we want to give seniors time to come in and ask questions."
Couch said anyone who uses Plan D should re-evaluate coverage and said the workshop is a good opportunity for anyone who is confused about the options to get some clarification.
"It is complex to try to explain to beneficiaries, but that's what we're here for, to try to give them the information and empower them to make informed choices without selling them anything because we're unbiased and we're free," Couch said. "We don't endorse any specific plan. Beneficiaries want to know what the (options) are because they've been bombarded with a lot of literature from these companies trying to make that sale."
Couch said more than 50 plans are available in this area. Premiums and deductibles vary, as do the benefits. Some programs offer mail-order prescriptions, for example.
A computer software program called Plan Finder -- at www.medicare.gov -- allows beneficiaries to enter their information -- what drugs they use and how often they take them -- to find the most cost-effective plan. It's also available at any time online for those who want to use it from home.
Benefit workshop
The workshop for seniors to help them understand Medicare prescription drug benefits will be 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the College of Coastal Georgia's Jericho Computer Lab, in the continuing education building, at 3700 Altama Ave., Brunswick.
Seniors who can't attend the meeting can log on to www.medicare.gov to use a program to help them find the best plan, or can call (800) 669-8387 for help.
The deadline to change Medicare plans is Dec. 31.
To see more of The Brunswick News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.thebrunswicknews.com/.
Copyright (c) 2008, The Brunswick News, Ga.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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