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Indiana Medicare assistance program hosts events as open enrollment begins

A dark blue pen and a stethoscope on top of a medical form.
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Rebecca Kinney directs the Administration for Community Living's Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling. She said people can become overwhelmed by all of their options, but working through those options with the assistance program makes it easier.

Open enrollment for Medicare begins on Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7. A state Medicare assistance program is hosting a series of events to help people in Indiana navigate the open enrollment period.

The Indiana Department of Insurance's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP, is hosting presentations and other events to prepare eligible Hoosiers to select coverage for 2024.

Rebecca Kinney directs the Administration for Community Living's Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling. Her office manages programs that provide community education on Medicare. She said people can become overwhelmed by all of their options, but working through those options with the assistance program makes it easier.

“Don't wait till the last minute because sometimes it can take a while to think through the options that are available and you don't want to make a snap decision,” Kinney said. “You want to give yourself enough time to think about it.”

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She said everyone on Medicare should use the open enrollment period to check if anything has changed related to their coverage and if it best fits their needs.

After the open enrollment period begins, SHIP will offer one-on-one health insurance counseling at select locations throughout the state, with virtual appointments also available. You can visit shiphelp.org for more information.

Abigail is our health reporter. Contact them at aruhman@wboi.org.

Abigail Ruhman covers statewide health issues. Previously, they were a reporter for KBIA, the public radio station in Columbia, Missouri. Ruhman graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.