DRCOG SHIP leads 'Medicare 101' briefing on enrollment, costs and local help

The Denver Regional Council of Governments’ State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) presented a Medicare 101 class explaining how and when to enroll, what Parts A through D cover, plan options and where residents of Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson counties can get free counseling.

The presentation, given by a SHIP counselor, defined Medicare as federal health insurance administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and noted beneficiaries receive a paper Medicare card listing their Medicare number and Part A and Part B effective dates. "This program is presented by the Denver Regional Council of Governments State Health Insurance Assistance Program or SHIP for short," the presenter said, noting the program is supported in part by a grant from the U.S. Administration for Community Living.

The session walked listeners through eligibility and enrollment windows. Most people become eligible at 65; people on Social Security disability insurance generally qualify after two years, and people with end-stage renal disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may qualify sooner. The counselor explained the seven-month initial enrollment period that includes…