Question: I am turning 65 this coming year. There is so much to learn and decide about related to Medicare. What advice do you have?

Answer: First, I want to say; “Happy early birthday!” I enjoy talking to people paying attention to this event and Medicare issues. This 65th birthday is an especially exciting year for many people. We often think of retirement and relaxing more. This may or may not be your situation, but you need some information about Medicare.

This week I am excited to let you know that I will be giving a talk on April 18th at 6pm about this very topic. This talk with be held at the JCC Carnahan Center on Thursday April 18th. This event requires reservations and those can be made by calling 716-489-2988.

We are hoping to reach the many individuals who are turning 65 in the near future to help them understand the many decisions related to Medicare and all its parts. We also know there are individuals out there who are caregivers for someone with Medicare, and this talk could be useful to them as well. We also know there are individuals who receive Medicare due to a disability. This talk could be helpful to them and their families as well.

This talk will cover the process of signing up for Medicare, and that usually begins shortly before your 65th birthday. We will be talking about the timeline of signing up for Medicare and the different rules relating to the different parts of Medicare (A, B, & D). Covering Medicare Advantage Plans and Medicare Supplement Plans.

I hope to reach those individuals who are close to turning 65, those individuals who are still working after age 65, and those who are helping someone over 65 with their Medicare Insurance.

Medicare is a language all its own. It is important to understand the language and the different rules related to Medicare. If you do NOT enroll in Medicare when originally eligible, you will have some restrictions as to WHEN you can enroll and may have premium penalties when you enroll. Not everyone is impacted by this though, because those who have insurance coverage through their employer or their spouse’s employer group may not need to sign up for Medicare because they have coverage through another source. We will also be covering the role of employer coverage in this Medicare decision.

Each year our life changes and we never know exactly what will change. For you, there are definitely changes coming in your insurance situation and Medicare will be a part of that. I think you will be pleased with your options under Medicare.

I hope you decide to come to our educational event on April 18th at 6pm at the JCC Carnahan Building. We are accepting reservations at 716-489-2988.

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.