County volunteers help make sense of Medicare

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If you’re 65 or older or have a disability, it’s time to start thinking about enrolling in or changing your Medicare plan. Clackamas County’s Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program can help.

Medicare is our country's health insurance program for people age 65 or older. Certain people younger than age 65 can qualify for Medicare, too, including those with disabilities and those who have permanent kidney failure.

The program helps with the cost of health care, but it does not cover all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care. 

You have choices for how you get Medicare coverage. You need to make most new Medicare enrollments and changes to current plans between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7

SHIBA is a federally funded state program that offers free, objective, and local one-on-one health insurance counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families.

SHIBA counselors can explain how the Medicare program works, additional insurance options that work with Medicare, and help with reducing out-of-pocket costs. 

Volunteers provide free, objective support by phone, in person, online and through a variety of public events.

Please schedule an individual appointment by calling 503-655-8269 option 4.

We are also offering informational workshops on a variety of days, times and locations. Find one convenient to you.

Meet Arv Hille, one of our former SHIBA counselors.

For full details about Medicare, visit their website.