As the days get shorter and the nights cooler you can expect to hear more about Medicare.

That's because the Medicare open enrollment period takes place from October 15th through December 7th.

>> This is the time to review your health care coverage and see if you need to make any changes or if you're happy with the plan that you have.

Meanwhile, there are thousands of baby boomers turning 65 every day who are navigating the sometimes complex world Medicare for the first time for everyone currently enrolled or completely new you could say that your ship has come in.

Ship is the acronym for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program which provides free unbiased health insurance information for people with Medicare.

And on this week's PrimeTime Thursday nine we will welcome Paul Thierer off in our Jackson .

They are two of some 300 volunteer state health insurance assistance program counselors in Indiana who help seniors evaluate which Medicare supplement programs are right for them and they're here to help you too tonight.

So if you'd like to call in your question at the number on the screen, you can do so and your thoughts and comments as we talk all things Medicare and we do that with Paul and Art Paul to my right arm to his right and gentlemen, thank you very much for taking time to consumers.

We really appreciate it.

And we invite you, as I say to be fourth in with the number you see on the screen as we talk about this is the state health insurance assistance program.

>> It sounds like it's an Indiana thing.

But Paul, in a way there's a whole fleet of ships across the country, so to speak.

>> Each state has their own version of it.

Some call it perhaps a little bit different name Florida for example.

It calls it shine but it is the same type of program are in Indiana.

It's its control that the Indiana Department of Insurance level we do and at the federal level it's there's an agency under Health and Human Services that provides overall guidance .

Ship is a free program.

We are not we don't sell anything we merely provide guidance for individuals who are going on to Medicare or perhaps are now going into the open enrollment season and want to find out more.

>> So that's that's where Art and I come into play.

And Art, you say you've been assisting ship for a number of years now give a sense of how important a role it is for for volunteers like you at times of the year like this.

>> Yes.

Baraza I've been doing this for about 11 years and is there's a great service that we provide because oftentimes many people when they first turn 65 that first time they really start thinking about Medicare is sort like you go to a visit someone someone at home most of the time and talk about Medicare.

But once you turn 65 and you say well I better find out who is about this Medicare and we try to sift through all the information because a lot of information and but first day we let them know that we are not going to make the decision for you is up to you after we give you all information.

>> Yeah, there is a lot of compare and contrast I would assume with the the number of supplement programs.

>> Yes.

Description drug programs.

Yes it is and Paul, I know for a number of us we just all received in the mail the the Medicare and you the 2022 book arts brought his whether we even have a close up view of that to share.

So just in case you want to run up to your mailbox and you can find your copy of that of that book there it is.

It's the one that we can relieve some guilt perhaps for you tonight.

You've told yourself I should look at this book and what's inside the couple pages at the front under the cover .

>> Paul, I understand that where a lot of this stuff is the new information is in the front of the book and it talks about any new changes to Medicare and as as a whole there aren't any major changes I would big changes that we don't know about yet unfortunately are things like Part B premiums.

But what I've read so far is that the premiums for Part B will go up about ten dollars per month next year.

>> The Medicare deductible Part B deductible will also go up roughly fourteen dollars which doesn't feel like a big number but it can be depending on your your budget and what is perhaps hopefully is offsetting that Social Security is scheduled to go up five or six percent or so but again it's far too early to say that with any degree of certainty these are just the best information we have at this point in time.

That information unfortunately is not in the book.

>> It's too soon to tell what is what I view as being most critical is what has changed are the local plans that have changed in this area and what are those plans going to look like in another year then here I'm talking about not only Medicare Advantage plans but but also the prescription drug plans and the cost of those plans and those are the things we're ship conservers spend a lot of time and in trying to assist the individuals with their specific questions and the great thing about the gentleman with this evening and and their colleagues is that this is a free program.

>> All right.

The other is I believe that you don't have to be a resident of Allen County, for example in order to know matter of fact during the height of the pandemic I had an individual came all the way down from almost below burns and he drove up because he wanted to speak with the person person to person versus on the phone.

And we found out a lot a lot of people they like that one on one contact.

>> Well, this may be tonight an example of close to one on one contact or maybe one on three with the gentleman and their knowledge base here we've received an offline question from Al.

He is his his father was World War Two vet passed away as mom was never added to the VA. How can his mother get assistance getting on a ship and the VA?

Well, first she should go see his locker go out to our local V.A.

facility and talk to someone because you can have both if she's over 65 she automatically have party now whether she wants Part B, that's a premium.

But some people defer a part B if they have other insurance for instance, if a person have 100 percent disability they getting most of their coverage from the VA, they would defer to Part B and just have the party .

But often time in some cases you have to have Part B and in some cases you don't.

But I suggest you go to go to the VA. OK, and find out exactly what the benefits are and as the says a home was a veteran of World War Two .

I'm pretty sure they have something for her can help her help her out.

>> OK, Paul, anything further go on that and then I think if she has any questions once she gets past that and that is the trip to the VA then to give us a call at that ship and then our number will pop up on the screen and feel free to give us a call and we'll be glad to help you with any Medicare type of of enrollment or changes that that that would be suitable for for for ALS mother I believe or else you know and there is a phone number and a website you'll see that a couple of times during the program and truly navigating Medicare and in situations like this, you know, you do feel like you have a unique situation and then maybe you find out by talking to a counselor that it is unique to you but it is not unique in in the larger scheme and that's where the assistance and the assurance can can come in.

>> You're located there are a couple of locations so I want to be sure that we share with viewers tonight we have a couple of images for that but one you're right near Park View Randall.

>> Yeah, here we are.

Nineteen hundred cruise Street and suite number two and then I believe in addition to that opportunities for Career Street and the community center downtown here at the Community center were there on Thursday to please call for an appointment first but we do have a customer there on Thursdays during open enrollment and she will be glad to guide you through those and setting up an appointment and guide you through the open enrollment process or whatever questions you may have and and also on Fridays during open enrollment we had a counselor going to be at the CARU Street office.

So if someone can't make it on Tuesday and Wednesday, which is our regular regular days at garu, they can also come there on a Friday.

But give us a call first because we like to make an appointment and that's why it's happily a period of review that starts the middle of October continuing through the 7th of December.

Let us go to the phones and welcome Fred to Prime Time.

>> He has a question.

I think we've seen these somewhere before too for what he's about to reference.

>> Fred, good evening.

Go ahead with your question, sir.

Yeah, we have a lot of celebrity advertisements at this point advertising cash back on your Medicaid or Medicare premiums and lots other coverage and it's my assumption that that is simply available through the Q and B Medicaid program and it's not anything special.

Is that true?

As far as I know, Fred, what you're saying is absolutely true.

It doesn't have to be.

Q And be specific there are a couple of other programs but the function in the same manner is Q and B either way it's based on your income and your assets and if you are eligible for that program then it will pay for Medicare Part B premium which is this year it's one hundred and forty eight fifty per month next year as I said it's slated to go up but but the concept will still be there is as long as your income is low enough that it will you will be getting back or you will never be paying the Medicare Part B premium.

So you're absolutely correct.

Thank you Fred.

Yep.

Thank you very much, sir.

And time for your question too as Paul thier off Art Jackson join us here volunteers with the State Health Insurance Assistance Program here on prime time this evening.

Let's talk about prescription drug coverage.

>> That's something that always with so many from which to choose where do you get started that where at when a person come in they want to compare drugs plans what we do we have load in all of that prescription then the computer does most of the work for us but we have to make sure that majority prescription I cover it won't do him any good if they have a low premium but on a few of their prescription I cover .

So you try to find as many of their prescription covered in the formula then you sort of look at the prices then you have a general idea who is playing you're going to to choose and certainly Paul, a notation that you shared before we were on this evening.

Twenty three plans for Medicare drug coverage coming next year and those are just the standalone prescription drug plans.

Yeah.

The Medicare Advantage plans that are in another I believe thirty days twenty twenty seven and twenty eight plans that offer drug coverage in that arena.

So so there are a number of options available to you.

One thing I would advise individuals who do come in to our office if you have a Medicare account online with the username and password please bring that with us.

That will help if you came in to see us last year we'll have that information on our file and available to you.

It's just a time saver saves us putting in all the drugs again.

All we have to do is edit any updates, any new drugs that you may have if you don't have a Medicare account that's that's fine.

They will either set one up or just operate without one but it is a time saver before we run out of the time we want to save to speak with you.

>> We want to share a couple of additional points of information, one being that there is help available for paying for Medicare.

>> I believe you have an illustration to then talk about that the as the caller that talked about the Kuumba that is exactly what he was talking about is that your monthly income is is of a certain value and here we're looking at if you're single income is under about two thousand dollars over a year if you're a married couple then it's roughly 27 hundred and your assets are under the values that are shown on the screen then you would be eligible for one of the three Medicare savings plans that are available.

>> It was one of those plans or any of the plans I should say will at a minimum pay for your Part B premium.

The richest of the three plans will also pay for Medicare deductibles and Medicare co-pays.

That's the Quamby that was referred to early uh, one of the discussions that comes up every year about now with the with the renewal open plan period is the debate between Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement plans aren't let me have you start the dialog on this.

We have a couple of graphics to assist but we'll put one of those up first and be able to get into the discussion.

>> Here is the Medigap one, for example, right.

The Medigap NASA plan that fills in the gap that what Medicare doesn't pay because regular Medicare A and B pay up to 80 percent.

So you have a gap of twenty percent that you're responsible for now if you have certain Medigap plans they would pick up all of that.

Twenty percent.

>> So that's one of the good thing about the Medigap plan.

The second representation is Medicare Advantage.

>> Where are we going with that?

That's a different you have choice.

Yeah, you can go with the original Medicare which is A and B when a person turns 65 they're going to get A cards have A and B on it unless they're still working.

But if they already own Social Security so it's automatically going to send out current has A and B on it now they can refuse B if they don't want to choose B at this particular time because many people maybe their spouse is still working and they honor their spouse insurance, maybe they're still working so you can deny B and get A laid but to maintain you wanted to make sure you get it when the time is right because if you don't get it you're going to get penalized.

Now as for Medicare Advantage plan, you can choose origin of Medicare A and B you can get part D prescription drug plan and you can get a Medigap now with Medicare Advantage plan you get the same and B and you get a prescription drug coverage.

Most Medicare Advantage by the prescription drug is is already in the plan and there's no premium that you might run across one or two that do have a premium but most of them don't now you cannot have a Medigap by law.

You cannot have a Medigap when you have a Medicare Advantage plan.

Now one thing about a Medicare Advantage plan you have a maximum out of pocket long as you stay in your network.

So for instance, if a person goes and they have procedures one hundred thousand dollars and numnah on the original Medicare they will be responsible for twenty thousand.

Well with Medicare Advantage plan what according to plan it you they have maximum out of pocket could be thirty nine hundred could be seventy two hundred all depending on the plan they chose.

>> Got it.

So Paul let me ask you this question sounds like it was born of experience where an individual says I see my Medicare Advantage plan is being dropped next year.

>> What do what do I do?

I mean that's open enrollment in a whole new way.

>> Yes, they can either choose a new Medicare Advantage plan and that's that's an option available to them or if their medical care advantage plan is being dropped in, they have a special enrollment period where they can enroll in the Medigap plan.

Normally that's just available for people just turn sixty five and enrolling in part B for the first time.

But during this circumstance where they're Advanta plan is dropped and they can pick up one of the half a dozen different Medigap plans and each there are nine total plans and I think there are six available to them.

There's something a bed she can help me.

>> Yeah I I hesitate to rely on my memory on what what is interesting do you feel that when you talk to individuals there is pressure to change because this is open enrollment .

I mean some folks I assume may say do I have to change in an open enrollment period and you don't have to change it?

>> I think for some people they they had that misery back when they turned sixty five and they choose not to relive it every year or so.

They just stick with what they had and that may be a mistake.

>> Then sometime people for different counties have different plans and we live in an Allen County.

There might be a plan that your friend has in DeKalb County and they sometime people say why can't I have that plan?

Well, because just plans just for this county, not in other counties.

>> Yeah.

Allen County I think is thirty seven Medicare Advantage plans whereas DeKalb County is I want to say twenty six.

>> So you know there are slight differences you're going to want to be in touch with your ship counselor in the coming weeks.

Let's go to Linda on the line one we have just enough time to say hi to her Linda welcome to Prime Time, ma'am.

>> Go ahead with your question please.

I'm concerned about the penalty if you don't sign up for Medicare Advantage at the time when your it's offered I did not because my prescriptions were so small and it was 250 dollar deductible if I remember I won't get into all that but I have I am eighty eight and I'm still having to pay thirty dollars and ten cents or more every month because I didn't sign up and I think that that is just absolutely ridiculous.

>> Let's see if we can get some assistance from Aunt Linda.

Do you do you know if you qualify for the extra help which is a subsidy that's available for individuals whose income is below a certain value it helps pay for your drug costs is what I'm asking.

>> No, I would not qualify for that low income because that would exempt you from the penalty.

>> So if you don't have a low income and you had to start paying that penalty, you have to pay it the rest of your life every month.

>> Is that correct?

To my knowledge happening to me I can't think of any other circumstance that would exempt you from that and unfortunately ,Linda, let me recommend to while we have a moment we can put that contact graphic back up to that if you would like to to set the appointment and see what additional opportunities are possible.

You can do that by calling the number on the screen or checking out the the website to and we it's it's been very interesting.

>> I want to get your your thoughts on this in the final moments we have that comparing plans said Mary Johnson.

She's a Medicare policy analyst at the Senior Citizens League.

She says comparing plans is one of the single best ways that you can lower your health care costs.

>> That's true.

Yeah, of course you might find a plan that's a lot cheaper than the one you are getting back to Linda, she said Medicare Advantage plan but most Medicare Advantage plan has drug included because she said Medicare Advantage.

Nancy, we've started talking about other drugs because she had a drug penalty.

I don't I would like for her to call call in to our number.

So I think there's some confusion there and through the website and additional resources on line there's a Medicare plan finder that's that's out there.

Yes.

And when you meet I hear one suggestion is to make a list of what's important to you of factors that are important to your pocketbook, maybe how much you're paying for prescriptions now.

>> But it sounds like this is there is no harm in asking no no, indeed.

>> You ask me questions you like questions.

>> Tis the season.

Well and we thank you all for allowing us to be a part of this particular Q&A session.

>> Here again is the contact information for the state health insurance assistance program Fort Wayne ship dot com or two zero three seven three seven nine five two .

>> We've been speaking with Paul Thero off and Art Jackson two of some 300 ship counselors in Indiana alone who are here to help you.

>> They are volunteering and they are literally standing by.

Gentlemen, thank you again very, very much.

Thank and thank you for allowing us to be a part of your evening for all of us with prime time.

>> I'm Bruce Haines.

Take care and we'll see you again soon.