Illinois program offers help with Medicare enrollment

The Medicare open enrollment period began Oct. 15.

Older adults who may be looking to change their existing Medicare plan can receive free, personalized assistance through the Illinois Department on Aging’s, IDoA, Senior Health Insurance Program, SHIP.

During open enrollment, which is scheduled to continue through Dec. 7, people who are already enrolled in Medicare have the opportunity to review their current coverage and switch to a different plan for the following year. 

To make this process easier for Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers, Illinois’ SHIP program offers statewide health insurance counseling services through a network of 325 sites and 1,100 trained and certified counselors. 

SHIP counselors can answer questions about Medicare, Medicare Supplement, long-term care insurance, Medicare HMO’s, private fee-for-service and other health insurances. 

All services are free, and SHIP counselors do not sell or solicit any type of insurance.

To find a SHIP counselor, call 1-800-252-8966 or visit www2.illinois.gov/aging/ship/Pages/default.aspx.