Medicare & Health Insurance

Medicare can be challenging to navigate without assistance.
We are here to help.

Turning 65?

Get Ready to Enroll

The first step in your Medicare journey is to enroll in Medicare. You may enroll in Medicare by contacting Social Security. If you have retired from the Railroad Retirement Board then you will need to contact them for enrollment in Medicare.

The enrollment period when you turn 65 is referred to as the Initial Enrollment period. The initial enrollment period is the 7 months surrounding your 65th birthday. The three months before your birth month, the month of birth month, three months after your birth month. (Except if you are born on the 1st day of the month, then your birth month is the month before).

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Navigating Medicare

We Can Help

The State Health insurance assistance program (SHIP) is the only program that is funded by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to empower and support Medicare eligible, soon to be Medicare eligible, or their loved ones make Medicare decisions. Our SHIP counselors are available to help you with both Medicare and Medicaid.

There are both federal and state programs that may help with medicare expenses. Each program has different income and asset guidelines. Our SHIP counselors are happy to explain the programs and how they work with your Medicare coverage and costs.

Medicare can be challenging to navigate without assistance. Do you have questions about the difference between Advantage plans and Supplemental plans? Do you have questions about your costs or benefits with your prescription plan?

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free and confidential health insurance counseling.

Take a Free Welcome to Medicare Class

Unsure about Medicare’s eligibility criteria? Worried about out-of-pocket costs? Wondering what Medicare does or doesn’t cover? Confused about who pays first, Medicare or another insurance? Uncertain of yours or your loved one’s rights under Medicare? Our classes, providing unbiased information, are ideal for anyone who will be signing up for Medicare in the near future.

You’ll learn:

  • How to enroll in Medicare
  • What financial assistance is available to help cover Medicare costs
  • How each part of Medicare—A, B, and C— works.
  • The difference between Medicare Supplement plans and Advantage plans
  • The different enrollment periods of Medicare
  • How other insurance works with Medicare
  • Where to call for further assistance

Upcoming Virtual Classes

Annual Open Enrollment

Every year you may make changes to your Medicare coverage, specifically Advantage plans or prescription (Part D) plans from October 15 – December 7. Any changes made during this period will become effective (start) on January 1 of the following year.


Get in Touch

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