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Questions about your Medicare? There are free webinars to help

Medicare,Word,On,Tablet,Screen,With,Medical,Equipment,On,Background
Posted at 6:31 AM, Feb 02, 2023
and last updated 2023-02-02 08:31:23-05

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services, over 968,000 Coloradans are enrolled in Medicare. While Medicare offers several services, it’s important to know what is and isn’t covered through Medicare.

That is why the Pikes Peak Area Agency is offering to help to educate those on Medicare through webinars offered this month.

The webinars kick off today and will be offered every Thursday throughout February. The Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging has teamed up with the State Health Insurance Program, also known as SHIP, to provide these webinars. SHIP is state and federally-funded and aims to provide unbiased information through these webinars.

The webinars start today, and each covers a different topic. Today they will discuss Medicare eligibility and coverage. This month will also discuss Medicare options and plans and other health insurance options for seniors. The schedule is below:

  • Feb. 2: Medicare Eligibility and Coverage (Part A/B)
  • Feb. 9: Medicare Options: Medigap and Medicare Advantage Plans
  • Feb. 16 Medicare Part D
  • Feb. 23: Medicare, Medicaid, and Other Health Insurance Options – What you need to know

I spoke with Roma Costanza, the state health insurance coordinator for the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging. She tells me scammers are looking to take advantage of those who are using Medicare.
That is why it’s important for seniors to know all the details of their healthcare, so they can continue to live a healthy life.

“There’s a lot of disinformation. There’s a lot of confusion about enrolling in Medicare. What Medicare does, what it is, what it costs. And with baby boomers aging in at 10,000 a day, there’s a lot of people out there who need to know what Medicare does and doesn’t do,” said Costanza.

“When you are being inundated with junk mail and spam and phones call, if you really need the facts, which I think everybody does. It’s important to find an outlet that is going to give you those facts without having any financial incentive to do so.”

Roma tells me the webinars can also be helpful for caregivers who are taking care of parents.

Today’s webinar is from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. you can register here.

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