Leon King has volunteered as a free local counselor for Medicare beneficiaries for more than five years. One of the biggest mistakes made by those he helps is when they miss the Annual Notice of Change. Missing those notices, which will start arriving in the mail this month, could create big problems next year, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people just ignore those notices,\u201d said King who volunteers with SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), a program of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs operated locally by ElderSource. \u201cWhen we ask people if they received\u00a0the letter, they often don\u2019t even remember seeing it. It looks like junk mail and many people miss it.\u201d<\/p>\n This year\u2019s notices are expected to reflect changes that may affect Medicare Part D prescription drug plan premiums: a premium stabilization subsidy that had helped limit premium increases will not continue at the same level for 2027. Some beneficiaries could see higher Part D premiums. However, specific impacts will not be known until beneficiaries receive their annual notices.<\/p>\n \u201cBeneficiaries may see changes in their Medicare prescription drug costs for 2027,\u201d King said. \u201cMedicare recipients should carefully review their drug plan each year, as premiums, costs, formularies and other plan features can change from one year to the next.\u201d<\/p>\n King, a 75-year-old retiree who previously worked at Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office and as a local elementary school teacher, began serving as a SHINE volunteer in 2019. During the Annual Open Enrollment Period, which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 this year, he and other trained and certified local SHINE counselors field questions from about 10 beneficiaries each day who call ElderSource\u2019s Helpline seeking assistance.\u00a0The free phone counseling sessions last from a few minutes to sometimes more than an hour.<\/p>\n \u201cSome people just need to be pointed in a certain direction,\u201d he said. \u201cOthers, we need to walk them through the whole process. Some don\u2019t have computer access, so we need to help them review their options. I\u2019ve saved people a lot of money many times. The premiums on drug plans can range from $0 to $100 a month, and the copays can vary greatly. I\u2019ve helped save some people more than $500 a year.\u201d<\/p>\n Many low-income Medicare beneficiaries don\u2019t realize they qualify for federal assistance programs, he said. \u201cWhen someone is barely getting by, we can help them sign up for these programs. They can save people a lot of money.\u201d<\/p>\n Sometimes, however, SHINE counselors must relay less pleasant information.<\/p>\n