The annual Medicare open enrollment period begins October 15th and runs through December 7th. This is an excellent time for patients to review their health care needs, compare plans, and discuss planned changes with their health care providers, including pharmacists. This will ensure each patient’s Medicare plan best suits their individual needs.
Navigating Medicare plans can be difficult for many older adults, and some may have questions about Medicare enrollment. Plan comparisons and enrollment in Medicare advantage and prescription drug plans should be done by going to www.medicare.gov and logging in (or creating an account if none exists). Patients can get unbiased counseling from the State Health Insurance and Assistance Program (SHIP) by calling 1-800-Age-Line.
If you as a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician want to learn more about Medicare, the C.A.R.E.S. Pharmacy Network provides free continuing education courses on Medicare topics to pharmacy professionals. Topics include the basics of Medicare, assistance programs available to assist older adults (including those with limited income and resources), and how pharmacy personnel can assist older adults. These free online courses are available via our partnership with the Harrison College of Pharmacy and are taught by Dr. Salisa Westrick, a Professor at Auburn University Harrison College of Pharmacy.
To learn more about our continuing education courses or explore common questions about Medicare open enrollment, check out the links below:
