The Maui News

Ahead of the annual Medicare open enrollment period, state agencies will be offering free guidance to those who are turning 65 or those enrolled in Medicare to help decide which plan would best fit their health care needs.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program, also known as SHIP, and the Honolulu office of the Social Security Administration will give a “Project Grad 65” virtual presentation to help inform people turning 65 about Social Security retirement benefits and Medicare basics to help with their initial enrollment period.

To register for the Zoom event, visit us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qcOysqjMrEtRBk58d0Mdk4PA00w1imF-R.

Phone and Zoom consultations are also available statewide. Residents can call the Hawaii SHIP helpline at (808) 586-7299 or toll-free at (888) 875-9229 or visit hawaiiship.org. A Medicare counselor will contact those who request an appointment within two to five business days. SHIP counselors provide updates in free, unbiased, local, one-on-one consultations and plan comparison specialists help beneficiaries find plans that best meet their health care needs, according to a news release from the state Department of Health.

Medicare’s annual open enrollment period begins on Oct. 15 and ends on Dec. 7. The open enrollment period lets beneficiaries join, switch or drop a Medicare plan with coverage beginning Jan. 1.