Neighbor News
"Demystifying Medicare" workshops now online
Live workshops in Montrose and Croton as well
The Westchester Library System doesn’t want anyone to lose out on learning how Medicare works, since a complete understanding of the whole system is key to making the best personal health insurance decisions.
So they’ve put their upbeat, normally live Demystifying Medicare workshops online, at:
https://wikis.westchesterlibra....
There you can absorb audio chapters at your own pace and make notes on downloadable handouts that are used in the live events. The program is not only for people currently enrolled in Medicare, but for those soon to be 65, planning their retirement, or helping relatives and friends with their medical decisions and paperwork. Topics include Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, prescription drug plans, Medigaps (supplemental plans), EPIC, and cost-saving programs for people with limited resources.
Full instructions on how to work through this easy-to-use and self-paced online version are already there at the top of the screen, and very soon you'll be able to click on a short instructional video as well. Down below the audio segments are any live workshops that have not been postponed. At this moment, there are two: at the Hendrick Hudson Free Library in Montrose on Sun. afternoon, Oct. 4th, from 1:15 to 4:15 pm, and at the Senasqua Park Pavilion in Croton on Sat. afternoon, Oct. 10th, 1 to 4 pm.
Find out what's happening in Ossining-Croton-On-Hudsonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In a non-COVID universe, Westchester Seniors Out Speaking (WSOS) works year-round in other ways to help people with Medicare. They run free Senior Benefits Individual Counseling centers (SBICs) at nine libraries throughout the year, where people can get answers to their coverage and billing questions on a first come, first served basis. The roughly 80 volunteers in this program have been trained and updated monthly by the Medicare Rights Center in NYC, an advocacy group not affiliated with the insurance companies or with Medicare itself.
For questions about “Demystifying Medicare Online” or to sign up for future live presentations, please leave your name and number at (914) 231-3236 or email SBICmedia@gmail.com. You can get individual help at the WSOS helpline, (914) 231-3260, or by emailing them at SBIC@wlsmail.org. Like the workshops, the counseling is also free.