Crawford County Memorial Hospital (CCMH) will host a free “Welcome to Medicare” seminar on Thursday, June 20. The seminar, led by volunteer Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselors, will be conducted in CCMH Conference Room B at 100 Medical Parkway in Denison from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The one-hour educational seminar will be helpful for residents approaching retirement age to explore their health insurance options, as well as those who are currently on Medicare to better understand their coverage. The “Welcome to Medicare” seminar will cover Medicare Part A and Part B benefits, the prescription drug benefit (Part D), Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement insurance.

Participants will learn what Medicare is and isn’t; how to avoid penalties for late enrollment in Medicare; and how to get the most out of your health and prescription benefit plans.

Connie Riesselman, a SHIIP volunteer at CCMH, said, “Some decisions and actions about Medicare can take place three to six months before you turn 65, so I encourage people not to wait until they are turning 65 to understand all there is to know about this important benefit.”

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Participants are asked to register in advance by calling 712-265-2509.

“We're excited to offer this free seminar to the community,” said Dustin Durbin, Volunteer Services & Community Outreach coordinator at CCMH. “Medicare is such an important program and understanding what it offers helps assure that anyone eligible gets the health benefits they deserve.”

SHIIP is a service of the State of Iowa. SHIIP services are free, confidential and unbiased. SHIIP counselors are trained by the state and do not sell or promote any insurance companies, policies or agents. CCMH is a local sponsor for SHIIP in Crawford County. For more information about SHIIP, visit https://shiip.iowa.gov/.

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