Shopping for Plans In-Person or Via the Phone

Earlier this week on the blog, we laid out the simple steps you can take to compare plans and shop for coverage using the online tools, such as the Plan Finder, available at www.medicare.gov. Of course, there are people of all ages who are not comfortable putting all their information into a computer – or at least trying to do it without help. Fortunately, Medicare understands this. If you would rather have an in-person discussion or talk to a specialist on the phone, those resources are available as well.The initial steps to shopping for coverage are the same whether with a representative or online. Begin by making a list of the medicines you take and the dosage. Next, decide whether you want to get most of your medicines, especially the ones you take regularly, by mail or at a local pharmacy. You’ll also need your Medicare card available which will have key information like your Medicare number and the date you became enrolled in Medicare.If you don’t use a computer or have one available, you can call your local Area Agency on Aging and make an appointment to meet with the SHIIP Counselor who can help you compare available plans. You can find information on local agencies using our online mapping tool. When you go, remember to bring your medication information and your Medicare card with you when you go.Additionally, you can speak to a Medicare counselor over the phone any day of the week by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or 1-800-633-4227. A live person will walk you through any questions or concerns you have along the way. They are available 7 days a week excluding federal holidays.How long will this process take? Probably about an hour or so.  Not long, but enough time to maybe save you money or at least confirm that you are getting the best coverage you can for the medicines you take.Finally, you can always get information directly from the plan you are interested in. To do this, go to the Plan Finder on the Medicare website, follow the directions, and you will get a list of plans in your area. Click on the name of the plan in order to obtain the contact information. You can also call a local SHIIP Counselor to get plan contact information.Have you gone through the paper enrollment process? Any guidance you would share with fellow seniors? We’d love for you to sound off in the comment section or through our Facebook page to let us know about your personal experience.