November/December 2018 Program Guide

The new November/December 2018 Program Guide is now available.  To view the newest guide, please click here.

Registration for members begins on Tuesday, October 9.  Non-members may register beginning, Tuesday, October 16.

Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Open Enrollment Begins October 15

Are you considering enrolling in or changing your Medicare Part D plan?  The Annual Coordinated Election Period (AEP) for Medicare Part D is October 15 – December 7.  During this period beneficiaries who are not enrolled in Medicare prescription drug coverage can enroll.  Also, current enrollees in the program can switch plans.  If you currently have prescription drug coverage, you should review your coverage during this period.  You might want to enroll in a Medicare drug plan that better meets your needs. For more information, or assistance with reviewing your current plan, please contact the Senior Center at 847-588-8420.

Medicare Medicaid Alignment Initiative

The Medicare-Medicaid Alignment Initiative (MMAI) is one of Illinois’ managed care programs.  The program is for seniors and persons with disabilities who have full Medicaid and Medicare benefits.  It operates in the Greater Chicago and Central Illinois Regions.

MMAI allows eligible beneficiaries in Illinois to receive their Medicare Parts A and B, Medicare Part D, and Medicaid benefits from a single Medicare-Medicaid Plan.  Plans must provide all necessary Medicare and Medicaid covered services, including Medicaid waiver services.

For more information, please contact the Senior Center.
  

New Registration Policy 

Register Early: A lot of planning goes into creating quality programs for our
members and guests.   If you are interested in a program, please sign up early to ensure that your class is not cancelled.  Registration may be made by cash, check, Visa, Mastercard or Discover. Credit card payments can also be made online.  Registration by phone can only be made when an account credit is available to cover the entire cost.

Effective May 1, 2018, all program fees must be paid in full at time of registration. We are no longer able to hold a seat without payment.   Individuals on a waitlist will be called if there is an opening and given 48 hours to provide payment.  Waitlist payments must be made in person.   If payment is not received, the next individual on the list will be contacted.
 

Fight Fraud: Guard Your Medicare Card

If you have Medicare, you can protect your identity and help prevent health care fraud by guarding your Medicare card like you would a credit card.  

Identity theft from stolen Medicare Numbers is becoming more common.  Medicare’s here to help by removing Social Security Numbers from Medicare cards and replacing them with a new, unique number for each person with Medicare.  Medicare will mail new Medicare cards with the new numbers between April 2018 and April 2019. 

Here are some important steps you can take to protect yourself from the identity theft that can lead to health care fraud:

• Don’t share your Medicare Number with anyone who contacts you by telephone, email or in person, unless you’ve given them permission in advance.  Medicare will NEVER contact you (unless you ask us to) for your 
Medicare number or other personal information.
• Don’t ever let anyone borrow or pay to use your Medicare Number.
• Review your Medicare Summary Notice to be sure you and Medicare are only being charged for actual items and services received.

If you’re looking to enroll in a Medicare plan:

• Remember there are no “early bird discounts” or “limited time offers.”  
• Don’t let anyone rush you to enroll by claiming you need to “act now for the best deal.” 
• Be skeptical of free gifts, free medical services, discount packages or any offer that sounds “too good to be true.”

If someone calls you and asks for your Medicare Number or other personal information, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).  To learn more about protecting yourself from identity theft and health care fraud, visit www.Medicare.gov/fraud or contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol (www.smpresource.org). 

This message is brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.