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Spicewood library program to explain Medicare open enrollment 

Spicewood Community Library, 1011 Spur 191, is holding a Medicare Open Enrollment presentation from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15.  Yvette McVey, a benefits counselor with the Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area, will discuss the different Medicare options and answer questions to help people choose the right plan. 

The event is free and will include light refreshments. 

Medicare Open Enrollment is from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Medicare is health insurance for Americans ages 65 and older. The initial enrollment period for people turning 65 is seven months long. It begins three months before you turn 65, includes the birth month, and ends three months after you turn 65. 

You may be eligible to enroll earlier if you have a disability. 

Medicare comes in two parts: Part A, which is hospital insurance and Part B, medical insurance. Part D provides drug coverage, which you can get in addition to original Medicare or through a Medicare Advantage Plan, known as Part C, that includes drug coverage. These are run by private insurance companies that follow the rules of Medicare. 

You can also purchase Medicare Supplement Insurance known as Medigap from a private company. Medigap helps pay your share of the costs of original Medicare. 

For those who paid Medicare taxes for about 10 years while working, you receive Part A for free. You can buy it if you don’t qualify for the free plan. Part B costs about $170 per month or higher, depending on your income. A penalty can be charged if you don’t sign up for Part B when you are first eligible. 

Enrolling in Medicare can appear complicated, but the website Medicare.gov makes it pretty easy. Follow the steps on the website after first creating an account.

For more on the Spicewood Community Library’s Medicare program, visit the library’s website or call 830-693-7892 

editor@thepicayune.com