Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — When do you need to sign up for Medicare? What option should you choose? If you're nearing retirement age, now is the time to seek advice. In today's Positively 50+, our friends at AARP are guiding us through the tricky process. Alan Kellog turns 65 in September and needs help signing up for Medicare. “It’s a government program so you know it’s complicated,” Kellog said. The pharmacist is getting answers from a counselor with the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) at the Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services. “The goal of SHIP is to help get people non-biased Medicare counseling,” said Anne Schmidt with the Salt Lake County Aging & Adult Services. A counselor helps him compare plans and find programs that can lower the costs for him and his employees. “The difference is that A and B is government funded, but Part D will be through a separate carrier,” Kellog said. He also learned that when to apply is just as important. “The dangerous part is that there are penalties, so if you miss the window, you have penalties and the penalties run the rest of your life,” Kellog said. It’s a complicated decision that counselors can help you navigate, free of charge. “During open enrollment, there’s a lot of misinformation on commercials targeting seniors,” Schmidt said. “The goal is to give people all the information. We’re not selling them anything.” Kellog has some homework to do but feels better prepared. “It’s nice to have expert help down here at the county. You can ask all the hard questions, and she’ll be able to handle them.” Open enrollment is Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. You can contact SHIP through their helpline at 385-468-3200 and their website to make an appointment.
Related stories: What you should know about the spike in Medicare-related spam calls
