The annual Medicare Open Enrollment period is open through Saturday, December 7 and the Multnomah County Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program is available to provide free Medicare counseling. During the enrollment period, people with Medicare have the opportunity to make changes to their health plan or prescription drug plan, choose a Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (also known as Medicare Part A and Part B).
Medicare health and drug insurance plans can change their costs and offerings every year. A person’s individual health needs can change each year as well. Now is the time for Medicare beneficiaries to review their coverage options and make a choice that meets their needs. But knowing what options are available and how to make changes to a person’s plan can be tough.
People on Medicare should have received their “Plan Annual Notice of Change” packet in early October. The packet contains specific information about any changes in insurance coverage, costs or participating providers that goes into effect January 1, 2025.
Medicare participants can make plan changes by calling 800.MEDICARE, and they can compare options and enroll in plans online at medicare.gov. Additionally, the Oregon State SHIBA office has a guide to Medicare plans available in Oregon at shiba.oregon.gov.
Multnomah County’s SHIBA program provides free one-on-one counseling to help consumers understand their plan changes, identify major issues and compare their current coverage with the Medicare plans available in 2025. The assistance provided is free, unbiased and available to anyone on Medicare, regardless of income.
SHIBA Medicare counselors are available to assist with answering questions regarding prescription coverage, doctors covered in a plan and costs associated with a plan to help people find a plan that will meet their needs at the most affordable cost. To schedule a one-on-one counseling session, call 503.988.3646 and select option 3. Additional information can be found at multco.us/services/shiba.