Neighbor News
Demystifying Medicare & Healthcare Coverage for Seniors
Sign up for one of the many in-person workshops scheduled for the spring throughout the county, or use the online version
If Medicare eligibility is in your very near future, you’ll probably need to learn a lot more about the way health insurance for seniors works.
“Demystifying Medicare” is not only for people approaching retirement, but for those who want to explore the choices they’ll have during the next Open Enrollment period this fall or who are actively helping relatives or friends with their medical decisions and paperwork. It’s offered as part of the ongoing work of the Westchester Library System to provide authoritative, actionable information that supports seniors in being connected and well-informed.
All the currently scheduled in-person events in libraries and senior centers around the county are listed at the bottom of the Westchester Library System’s webpage: http://seniors.westchesterlibraries.org/demystifyingmedicare/. More than 15 have been set for April and May, barring future COVID-related postponements.
Find out what's happening in Harrisonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
At the same link you can also access the online version of “Demystifying Medicare” and work through this complicated subject at your own pace. Right up top there’s a 5-minute video on how to get the best out of the audio chapters, displays and handouts that match the ones used in the live workshops.
A complete understanding of the whole system is key to making the best personal health coverage choices. Topics include Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, prescription drug plans, Medigaps (supplemental plans), EPIC, and cost-saving programs for people with limited resources. There’s also a .pdf on “Medicare and COVID,” which outlines the relaxation of some of Medicare’s rules during the public health emergency.
Find out what's happening in Harrisonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In a non-COVID universe, WLS and the Department of Senior Program and Services work year-round in other ways to help people with Medicare, Medicaid and other senior beneifts. For individual counseling, please contact DSPS at 914-813-6100, Mon.–Fri., 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) at any time. And explore the library’s full range of informational services for seniors at https://seniors.westchesterlibraries.org/senior-benefits/.
