For immediate release: October 9, 2024
Media Contact: Communications Office, pressoffice@multco.us
NEWS RELEASE: Multnomah County Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program offers free Medicare counseling during Open Enrollment
Multnomah County, Ore. (October 9, 2024) — Multnomah County wants to remind community members that the annual Medicare Open Enrollment begins Tuesday, Oct. 15 and that County employees can help.
During this enrollment period, people with Medicare have the opportunity to make changes to their health plan or prescription drug plan, choose a Medicare Advantage plan, or return to Original Medicare (also known as Medicare Part A and Part B).
Medicare health and drug insurance plans can change their costs and offerings every year. A person’s individual health needs can change each year, as well. Now is the time for Medicare beneficiaries to review their coverage options and make a choice that best meets their needs. But knowing what options are available and how to make the change in a person’s plan can be tough.
The first step is for people on Medicare to pay close attention to their “Plan Annual Notice of Change” packet, which recipients should have received from their current plan by Tuesday, October 1. This packet contains specific information about any changes in insurance coverage, costs, or participating providers that will go into effect Jan. 1, 2025.
Medicare participants can make plan changes by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, and they can compare options and enroll in plans online at www.medicare.gov. Additionally, the Oregon State Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) office creates a guide to Medicare plans available in Oregon, which is available at shiba.oregon.gov.
The Multnomah County SHIBA program is also an important resource to know about. The County provides free one-on-one counseling to help consumers understand their plan changes, identify major issues and compare their current coverage with the Medicare plans available in 2025. This assistance is free, unbiased, and available to anyone on Medicare regardless of their income.
“SHIBA is so valuable to our community,” said John Henry Crippen, the Multnomah County SHIBA program supervisor. “When people needing help with Medicare get connected to the SHIBA program, they are so relieved to discover that there are free, unbiased, experts in their corner.”
Choosing Medicare coverage is very individual, and everyone approaches it differently. Some basic questions to ask include:
- Does the plan cover my prescriptions?
- Does the plan cover the doctors I want to see?
- Can I afford the costs associated with the plan?
SHIBA Medicare counselors are available to assist with answering these questions and to help find a plan that meets a person’s needs at the most affordable cost.
The SHIBA Program will provide Medicare Open Enrollment assistance in person at numerous different sites throughout the community beginning in October. Participants must register in advance for the one-on-one counseling sessions. Call 503-988-3646 to schedule an appointment.
A SHIBA appointment is not required for making plan changes during Open Enrollment. Medicare participants can make plan changes by phone by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, and they can compare options and enroll in plans online at www.medicare.gov.
