Public Urged to Attend National Medicare Education Week Event

If you are confused or uncertain about Medicare, you’re not alone. That’s why next week, baby boomers, Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers in Greater New Haven and Greater Hartford are invited to attend an educational program as part of National Medicare Education Week (Sept. 15-21).

The events, open to the public free of charge, aim to help Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers better understand their coverage options, learn when and how to enroll or change plans, and hear the basics of Medicare as well as common misconceptions. The sessions will be on Monday, Sept. 17 in Orange and on Thursday, Sept. 20 in West Hartford. Both begin at 10:00 a.m. and conclude at noon.

During each event, a local UnitedHealthcare representative and a Walgreens pharmacist will address attendee questions on Medicare-related topics and will be available to speak one-on-one. Individuals are urged to attend and bring questions that they’d like to have answered.

The goal of each event is to equip people with the tools and information they need to make informed health care decisions before the start of the annual Medicare Open Enrollment Period in October. National Medicare Education Week is held each year one month before the start of the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, which runs from mid-October through early December.

Connecticut has the 7th oldest population in the nation, and the sixth highest per capita healthcare spending among the states.

In October, more than 167,874 seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries in New Haven County, and more than 175,136 in Hartford County, will be eligible to enroll in or change their Medicare plans during Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period. Unfortunately, nearly 2 in 5 Medicare beneficiaries say they have a “fair” or “poor” understanding of Medicare, and nearly two-thirds of those eligible say they have never shopped for coverage to fit their needs.

Attendees will have the opportunity to get answers to frequently asked questions, such as:

• What are my coverage options?
• How do I decide?
• What if I’m still working?
• How can I save money?
• When can I enroll?

There is no cost to attend but registration is requested. To RSVP, please go to www.NMEW.com or call 1-855-352-7920. The Greater Hartford session will be held at the Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford, 355 Bloomfield Avenue, in West Hartford. The Greater New Haven session will be at the Orange Marriott, 136 Marsh Hill Road in Orange. There is free parking on premises at each location, and light refreshments will be provided.

The 7th annual National Medicare Education Week is supported by Walgreens, Caregiver Action Network, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, AARP, ProHealth Physicians and Optum IPA. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin has proclaimed Sept. 15-21, 2018, as Hartford Medicare Education Week.