Question: I am over 65 and until recently I was working full-time. I just got laid off from my job and am overwhelmed with everything that I have to change. Where do I look for insurance? I don’t know where to begin.

Answer: First, let me say how sorry I am for the abrupt life changes you are trying to cope with. I have talked with so many individuals over the years who have this happen. We sometimes forget that when we hear those numbers “700 individuals laid off at …” that those are lives and people that we know. All of us hope to someday retire, but many of us are having to address that life change sooner than we ever expected.

You said that you are over 65, so you may already have Medicare. If you don’t, please contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) to have your Medicare Coverage begin immediately. To contact SSA, you can either call 1-800-772-1213 or the local SSA office- 877-319-3079, go to their website, www.ssa.gov, or visit the local office at 321 Hazeltine Ave. Jamestown. The local office is open Monday – Friday 9am to 4pm.

You may already have Medicare Part A, but you now need Medicare Part B. Medicare Part B will cost you $185 each month. If you collect Social Security already, the premium will be deducted from your Social Security check. If you don’t collect Social Security, then they will bill you quarterly (every three months).

When an individual has left their employment and lost their insurance whether by choice or a situation like yours, they have up to 8 months to make an insurance decision. This means they have 8 months to begin their enrollment in the coverage of their choice. I don’t recommend waiting 8 months since you may not have adequate insurance for those 8 months.

There are forms that need to be completed to get your Medicare Part A & B started. Some you can complete yourself (CMS18-f-5 and CMS 40B), and some your former employer must complete (L564). Once these forms are complete and turned into SSA, your Medicare will begin. You can select the month you want it to start, but it’s probably best to select it for the first of this coming month, as the Medicare and all products associated with Medicare always begin the first of the month.

Once you have turned in those forms for both Medicare A & B, you can begin to decide what type of insurance you want in addition to that basic coverage. You may be eligible for a retiree plan through you employer if they offer one. These can be free to you or may cost you a premium each month. Your Human Resources department can help you through that question.

Once you know your retirement plan options, you should then look to other insurance products available to you. There are Medicare Supplement Plans, which are lettered plans (A-N), and these follow Medicare in their payments for medical bills. These plans tend to have relatively high premiums (between $100 and $400 monthly) depending on the plan you choose and the company offering the plan. Currently, a comprehensive policy (like Plan G) from the lowest priced company in WNY costs around $200 monthly. These Medicare Supplement plans do NOT have drug coverage, so you would then look to Medicare Stand Alone Prescription Drug plans, and/or possibly Veterans Benefits for your drug coverage.

You should also look at Medicare Advantage Plans. These are plans that REPLACE your Medicare coverage. These plans range in premiums from $0 to ~$190 monthly. They can and probably should include drug coverage (Part D). For a list of Medicare Advantage Plans available to you, look at www.medicare.gov or your Medicare and You 2025 handbook.

There are many plans to choose from in WNY and even more factors to consider. You should consider networks your doctors participate in, what your NEW income situation will be, and what medications you’ll need coverage for. Remember that whatever plan you choose, you can change your mind later this year during open enrollment, October 15 through December 7.

Your income situation will probably be significantly different soon. You may want to begin collecting Social Security if you haven’t already started. You may also have a retirement plan that could begin to fill your income gap. You may even be eligible for entitlements that you could apply for which you haven’t ever thought of before now. There are so many new options for you that we could talk about, so reach out again with questions.

Janell Sluga is a Geriatric Care Manager helping seniors in our community access services and insurance. To reach her, please email editorial@post-journal.com.