Medicare Open Enrollment is Open through Dec. 7

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Medicare, the federal health insurance program for adults age 65 and older and adults with permanent disabilities, is currently in its Open Enrollment period through December 7. Latinos are the largest and fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States.

Many disparities exist for Latinos and they are likely to have higher risk for certain chronic or serious health conditions, such as diabetes. Having guaranteed health coverage, like what is offered through Medicare, is essential to Latinos going forward.

In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, practices, and policies. Join our site, connect with others, and get involved.

Here are some things people need to know before enrolling:

Review your plan notice. Any notifications you get about your Medicare plan, make sure you read it, especially your “Annual Notice of Change” letter. Look at your plan’s information to make sure your prescriptions are still covered and your doctors are still in network.

Think about what is important. Medicare health and drug plans change each year; so do your healthcare needs. Coming into this new enrollment period, do you need a new primary care doctor? Do you have to have a surgery? Is your new medication covered by your current plan? Think about what is important and if you need to make changes.

See if you can get help to pay for your plan. Take some time to learn about programs in your state that can help with the costs of Medicare premiums. You can do this by visiting Medicare.gov or making an appointment with a local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor.

Shop for plans that meet your need. From now until December 7, you can use Medicare’s plan finder tool to see what plans are offered in your area that fit your needs and fit your budget.

Read more about Medicare’s Open Enrollment here.

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