Medicare Doesn't Have to Be Overwhelming
Feeling overwhelmed by Medicare choices and healthcare benefits? You’re not alone. Our team at the Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging is here to help make sense of it all. We offer one-on-one, free counseling with our certified Benefits Counselors who specialize in helping Medicare beneficiaries understand their options. Our counselors can sit down with you, your family members, or caregivers to answer questions and explain your benefits.
The best part? Thanks to the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), these services are completely free for:
- Medicare beneficiaries
- Family members trying to help loved ones
- Caregivers supporting Medicare-eligible individuals
- Anyone working on behalf of a person eligible for Medicare
You don’t need to navigate Medicare alone. Our certified, non-lawyer Benefits Counselors are ready to provide the guidance you need to understand your healthcare benefits.
Ready to get started? Let’s make Medicare less overwhelming together.
What Can Our Medicare Benefits Counselors Do For You?
Our certified Benefits Counselors are here to be your personal Medicare navigation experts. They can help you:
- Save money on Medicare costs through programs like the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) and Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) – we’ll check if you qualify and help you apply
- Choose the right Medicare coverage by comparing Medicare Advantage plans, Medigap supplemental insurance, and Part D prescription drug plans that fit your needs
- Protect yourself from healthcare scams and fraud targeting seniors in Northeast Texas
- Understand important healthcare documents like advance directives and long-term care options
- Navigate Medicare and Medicaid appeals processes if you’ve been denied coverage
Why Use Our Benefits Counseling Service?
Our Benefits Counselors are:
- Certified professionals who specialize in Medicare and senior benefits
- Completely unbiased – we don’t sell insurance or promote specific plans
- Free to work with – there’s never any cost for our counseling services
- Local experts who understand Northeast Texas healthcare resources
- Dedicated to protecting seniors’ interests and preventing healthcare fraud
Who Can Use Our Benefits Counseling Service?
We serve:
- Medicare beneficiaries in Northeast Texas
- Caregivers and family members helping seniors with Medicare decisions
- Anyone eligible for Medicare who needs help understanding their benefits
- Seniors looking to save money on healthcare and prescription costs
What else can we do?
Benefits Counselors also provide public education and consultation on a variety of topics impacting seniors including:
- Medicare Medicaid Supplemental Security Income
- Medicare and Medicaid Appeals/Hearings
- Senior Fraud/Social Security Fraud/Scams
- Advance Directives
- Long-Term Care
- Non-Covered Health
- Other Insurance
- Issues Impacting Veterans
Get Started With Medicare Benefits Counseling
Don’t let confusing Medicare terms and complicated applications stop you from getting the healthcare coverage you need. Our Benefits Counselors are here to help you understand your options and make informed decisions about your healthcare coverage.
Contact us today to schedule your free, one-on-one consultation with a certified Benefits Counselor. We’ll help you navigate Medicare with confidence and ensure you’re getting all the benefits you deserve.
What is SHIP?
The Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging is dedicated to helping seniors and individuals with disabilities navigate Medicare and other health insurance options. In partnership with the Texas Legal Services Center and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, we provide valuable information about public benefits and private health insurance through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP).
As your local SHIP center, we offer:
- FREE one-on-one counseling with trained and certified Benefits Counselors.
- Expert support for seniors, individuals with disabilities, families, and caregivers exploring Medicare options.
- Guidance on health and prescription drug plans.
- Assistance applying for programs like Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) and Low-Income Subsidy (LIS).
These services are delivered at the regional level by the Area Agency on Aging to ensure personalized, local assistance. Through phone consultations, in-person sessions, and community presentations, we’re here to help you make informed decisions about your healthcare and benefits.
Medicare Open Enrollment
Did you know there’s more to Medicare enrollment than the seven-month window around your 65th birthday? Whether it’s your first time signing up or you’re exploring options to switch plans, there are other opportunities to enroll in Medicare or update your coverage.
Understanding Medicare’s enrollment periods is essential—it ensures you get the right healthcare coverage and helps you avoid costly penalties for late enrollment. We know it can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone.
If you’re asking yourself, “Where can I find honest, unbiased Medicare advice?” consider reaching out to a certified Benefits Counselor at the Ark-Tex Council of Governments. These experts can guide you through the process and help you make confident, informed decisions about your coverage.
Some of the ways our Benefits Counselors help you are by answering questions on:
- Plan prescription coverage
- Copay options with various plans
- Identifying doctors on various plans
- and more!
Our certified Benefits Counselors may not recommend a specific policy or plan to you, but they can provide factual, unbiased information and assistance to help you make your choice of coverage.
Medicare Enrollment Periods
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
The seven-month period including the three months before, the month of, and the three months following your 65th birthday month.
Special Enrollment Period (SEP)
If you do not enroll during your IEP, you may be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period)
General Enrollment Period (GEP)
January 1-March 31
If you miss your IEP and do not qualify for an SEP, you an enroll during the General Enrollment Period.
Medicare's Annual Open Enrollment Period (OEP/AEP)
October 15-December 7
You can join a new Medicare Advantage Plan or a new stand-alone prescription drug plan. You can also return to Original Medicare from a Medicare Advantage Plan.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
You can switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan or return to Original Medicare (with or without a Part D Plan) from a Medicare Advantage Plan.
For one-on-one counseling, call to make an appointment
Consultations typically last between 30 minutes to an hour. In-person consultations must be scheduled in advance.
What to Know About Open Enrollment
During the Medicare Open Enrollment period, fraud and scams incidents targeting older adults tend to increase. The U.S Federal Trade Commission recommends the following to avoid becoming a victim of crimes related to Medicare Open Enrollment.
- Anyone who tries to sell you Medicare insurance while claiming to be an “official Medicare agent” is a scammer. There are no Medicare sales representatives.
- Ignore anyone who says you must join a prescription drug plan to keep your Medicare coverage. The Medicare prescription drug plan (also known as Part D) is voluntary and has nothing to do with the rest of your Medicare coverage.
- Never give information over the phone to someone who says they need it so you can keep your coverage.
- Hang up on anyone who asks for a quick payment, threatens you, or offers you free equipment or services in exchange for your information.
Our Benefits Counselors are available to help assist people through the open enrollment process. They will never contact anyone without being contacted first. They will never ask for payment or attempt to sell anything. They will never claim to be a Medicare agent. They help older adults find choices and don’t select choices for the individual.
Report any suspected fraud attempts to:
- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
- TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048
If you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan, call the Medicare Drug Integrity Contractor (MEDIC) at 1-877-7SAFERX (1-877-772-3379).
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have two powerful web tools that can help people select and change their plains as well as find a preferred medical or drug provider.
Plan Finder Tool
Plan Finder Tool allows someone to create an online profile and use their current prescription information to compare several Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plans available by zip code at the same time.
Need help with the plan finder? Watch this video or call us to schedule a meeting with a Benefits Counselor.
Medicare Care Compare
Medicare Care Compare combines eight different search engines formerly operated by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services. It allows people to locate new providers that take their new Medicare coverage that was selected during the open enrollment period.
Need help using Care Compare? Watch this video or call us to schedule a meeting with a Benefits Counselor.
- MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT
People with Medicare should continue to use the Medicare Open Enrollment Period to review and make changes to their health coverage. - HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET PLACE OPEN ENROLLMENT
The Health Insurance Marketplaces will hold open enrollment for uninsured or underinsured Americans. The Marketplaces are not meant for people with Medicare. People with Medicare should not use this open enrollment period to purchase or change their health care.
The Ark-Tex Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is designated by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to provide services to help people age 60 and older, their family members, and caregivers to help them receive the information and assistance they need in locating and accessing community services. Services are targeted to those with greatest economic and social need. Particular attention is paid to people with low-incomes, older people who belong to minority groups, and older people residing in rural areas. In addition, family members and other caregivers may receive information and services on behalf of the older person for whom they are providing care.