North Fort Myers, FL (Feb. 26, 2019)— Future and current Medicare beneficiaries are invited to attend two free presentations about the ins and outs of Medicare in March. The presentations, offered in Estero and Cape Coral, will feature professionally trained counselors of the SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) program.
“Medicare 101” will be offered on Monday, Mar. 4 from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Lee Health’s Coconut Point Healthy Life Center. The Healthy Life Center is located at 23450 Via Coconut in Estero. Participants planning to attend the Coconut Point Medicare 101 session are asked to RSVP to 239-495-4475.
The same presentation will be offered on Tuesday, Mar. 12 from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Lee Health’s Cape Coral Healthy Life Center. The Healthy Life Center is located at 603 SW 13th Ct. (2nd Floor) in Cape Coral. Participants planning to attend the Cape Coral Medicare 101 session are asked to RSVP to 239-424-3210.
The Florida Department of Elder Affairs’ SHINE program provides free, unbiased information and assistance for Florida Medicare beneficiaries year-round as they carefully evaluate their health care options. SHINE is administered locally by the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (AAASWFL).
Medicare 101 is a well-rounded presentation covering the basics of Medicare for those soon to be eligible as well as those currently on Medicare. Participants will learn the basics of Medicare Parts A, B, C and D, discover more about the many plan options available. Presenters will also discuss the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment period, which ends on Mar. 31. A SHINE counselor will also be available to answer questions after the presentation.
SHINE empowers seniors, their caregivers, and family members to make informed decisions about health care coverage. SHINE counselors can also help beneficiaries understand benefits available through Medicare, like preventative health care services. Additionally, SHINE counselors assist low-income Medicare beneficiaries with applying for cost-savings programs. As part of the national SMP program, counselors also educatebeneficiaries to protect, detect, and report potential errors, fraud, and abuse with their Medicare coverage.
For more information about the Medicare 101 presentation, or to receive one-on-one Medicare counseling assistance from SHINE, individuals may contact the Area Agency on Aging at 866-413-5337 (866-41-ELDER). For a listing of SHINE counseling sites and public events in our area, visitwww.FloridaSHINE.org.
Currently celebrating its 40th year of service, Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida is a nonprofit organization serving Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota Counties. AAASWFL is the state’s designated Aging and Disability Resource Center for Southwest Florida. The organization is committed to connecting older adults and adults with disabilities to resources and assistance for living safely with independence and dignity. In addition to SHINE, supported programs include the Elder Helpline, health and wellness programming, and elder abuse prevention education.
More information is available at www.aaaswfl.org or by calling the toll-free Helpline at 866-413-5337 (866-41-ELDER).
