Council on Aging says 2,031 clients served; $1.4 million in Medicare savings during 2024 open enrollment

Kelly Childers, representing the county's Council on Aging, reported to the Baldwin County Commission on March 5 that the agency's Medicare Part D open-enrollment work between October and Dec. 7, 2024 reached 2,031 clients and generated significant prescription and coverage savings for county residents.

"We saw over 2,031 clients," Childers said, noting that the figure does not include phone calls handled by staff. She told commissioners the office concentrates counseling work during the Oct.–Dec. open-enrollment window, that appointment lists fill early and staff maintain a waiting list. "We save 471 clients over $1,400,000 in that short amount of time," Childers said.

Childers said five counselors handled appointments through the enrollment window and that many clients are long-term attendees of the program: "Some of these clients we've been seeing for 25 years." She clarified the office provides counseling and enrollment assistance but does not sell insurance: "We do not sell it. We can sign up for a drug card. Anything else, we kinda scoot it to an insurance broker."

The council also screens clients for other programs such as Medicare Savings Program and Low Income Subsidy and checks for durable power of attorney and solid-waste exemption eligibility, though Childers said the solid-waste exemptions were not included in the Medicare savings figure she presented.

Commissioners thanked Childers and her staff for their work and for making the county's services available to seniors and other beneficiaries who seek assistance with prescription and plan choices.