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Third-Party Medicare Mailings Likely Legitimate

Question; I recently received a packet of information from a third party who appears to be affiliated with my Medicare Advantage Plan. It says I may be eligible for the Medicare Savings Program you talked about a few weeks ago. It wants me to fill out the paperwork and send all my personal documents to them, and they will apply on my behalf. Is this a good idea? Answer: I have recently received this type of question many times from individuals with Medicare Advantage Plans. Many of those Insurance companies, hire third party companies to handle this issue. So, the mail you received is ...

Office For Aging Services To Hold Expo May 21

Question: Last year about this time, there was an event in Fredonia, but I couldn’t go. Is that event being held again this year? Do you know anything about it? Answer: I think I know the event you are thinking about. The Chautauqua County Office for the Aging held an event called CHQAging Expo & Conference at SUNY Fredonia. They are holding that event again this year. So let me tell you about it. The CHQAging Expo & Conference is being held at SUNY Fredonia on May 21, 2026 at the Williams Center on the SUNY Fredonia campus. The event will go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event ...

Information For Seniors Considering Food Stamps

Question: I have considered applying for food stamps, but I don’t know a lot about them. Can you tell me more about the food stamp program? Answer: Certainly! I am and always have been a strong supporter of this program. The Food Stamp (FS) Program is known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This is a perfectly timed question as April is Senior Hunger Awareness Month. This month, we are reminded that access to nutritious food can be a challenge for many older adults in our community. Food insecurity ...

Ways To Resolve Questions Over New Medicare Cards

Question: I recently saw an article that Medicare is issuing new ID cards in March and April of this year. When will mine arrive? Answer: Well this topic may feel familiar, and that is because I wrote a similar article last year because there were over 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries getting new cards. Well this March and April the number of individuals receiving new Medicare cards will be over 1.3 Million. That is a significantly larger number of recipients, but it is not as common as it sounds. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) did not specify why the new cards were ...

What’s Behind Higher-Than-Expected Medicare Premium?

Question: I was told my Medicare Part B would cost $202.90, but my premium is much higher than that. Why? Answer: The Medicare Part B premium for most Americans in 2026 is $202.90. There are some that find they pay more than that and this can be for two reasons. One is that they enrolled in Medicare Part B late and so you have an enrollment penalty of 10% for each year they did not enroll. This penalty will continue to be an additional premium added to the monthly premium for the rest of your life. The only way to erase the Late Enrollment Penalty is by applying for and receiving ...

Explaining Why Some Medications Aren’t Covered Anymore

Question: I went to fill my medications, and I seem to be having problems. One medication was no longer covered, another one needed “permission” first, and then I received a letter saying I have to switch to another medication for a third drug I took last year. Why is this happening, they were all covered before? Answer: Well, this is a common occurrence in the first three months of the year with Medicare Part D. Remember that each year, the plans change not only the premium they charge, but also the medications they cover (their formulary) and how they cover those medications. ...