CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois is launching a series of
free, one-on-one Medicare counseling sessions for seniors and people with
disabilities during this year's earlier open enrollment season.
The sessions will be at more than 25 locations
statewide during open enrollment, which this year runs from Oct. 15 through Dec.
7.
Open enrollment is a period when Medicare
beneficiaries can change health plans. Beneficiaries can change from Medicare
Advantage to original Medicare, for example, or switch between Medicare
Advantage plans or prescription drug plans.
Volunteers from the Illinois Department of
Insurance's Senior Health Insurance Program are providing the sessions to
educate beneficiaries.
A list of upcoming SHIP events during
open-enrollment season is available on the Insurance Department's website at
Insurance.Illinois.gov/SHIP or by calling the SHIP toll-free hotline at (800)
548-9034.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
