Check-Up Day coming to county

Greene County News

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP), a division of the Ohio Department of Insurance, will visit Greene County to hold Medicare Check-Up Day event on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at Xenia Community Center located at 1265 W. Second St. in Xenia. The presentation will begin at 11 a.m. Call 937-376-5486 to schedule an individual Medicare counseling appointment.

“Our aggressive statewide efforts have begun and we are excited to help Ohioans as they make decisions about Medicare coverage,” said Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor, also director of the Ohio Department of Insurance. “We are holding Medicare Check-Up Day events in every county to make it easier for Ohioans to access the information they need to understand their best insurance coverage options for 2017.”

During Medicare’s annual open enrollment, Ohioans can:

• Stay on or return to Original Medicare and shop for a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan.

• Select a Medicare Advantage Plan, which provides comprehensive health benefits, typically including drug coverage.

• Determine if their existing coverage will continue to meet their health insurance needs.

Attendees can also learn more about recent Medicare plan changes and financial assistance programs, which help pay prescription drug costs and Part B premiums.

Protecting Against Fraud and Identity Theft

Taylor warns Ohioans to be aware of predatory sales practices during open enrollment. The Ohio Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) will be present at Check-Up Day events to encourage Medicare recipients to protect their Medicare card, and explain how to detect fraudulent behavior and how to report issues. If a consumer suspects wrongdoing, they should call the department’s Fraud and Enforcement hotline at 800-686-1527 or the SMP at 800-488-6070.

Those unable to attend a Medicare Check-Up Day event can contact OSHIIP at 1-800-686-1578, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or call Medicare at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227), 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. Information including specific plan details is available at www.medicare.gov.

To view a complete listing of Medicare Check-Up Day events, visit OSHIIP’s Medicare Check-Up and Annual Enrollment page at www.insurance.ohio.gov/Consumer/OSHIIP/SitePages/CheckUpDays.aspx.

Story courtesy of Ohio Department of Insurance.