Brookings Health to Host Free Understanding Medicare Seminar

Brookings Health System will host two sessions of the free Understanding Medicare seminar on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Both sessions will be held at Brookings Hospital, Conference Room A.

“Medicare is vastly different from the commercial insurance plans most individuals are enrolled in before they reach retirement,” said CFO Melissa Wagner. “Brookings Health annually hosts this seminar to help those who are enrolled in, or soon will be enrolled in, Medicare to learn about the differences and the coverage that best meets their needs.”

The program is recommended for individuals nearing age 65 of their initial enrollment period or those who plan to re-enroll in 2020. The 2020 Medicare Open Enrollment Period starts Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7.

Information offered at the seminar includes:

• Medicare basics, including what individuals need to know about benefits and options
• How to enroll in Medicare during an individual’s seven-month enrollment window
• Explanations of Medicare Parts A, B, C and D
• What to know before joining a Medicare Advantage plan

The seminar will be conducted by Senior Health Information and Insurance Education (SHIINE), a federally funded program through the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and administered by the South Dakota Department of Human Services Division of Long Term Services and Support (LTSS).

Seating is limited. To register, please visit brookingshealth.org/Medicare or call (605) 696-9000.

About Brookings Health System

Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes a 49-bed hospital, the 79-bed The Neighborhoods at Brookview nursing home, Brookhaven Estates senior living apartments, Yorkshire Eye Clinic, and medical clinics in Arlington, White and Volga, South Dakota. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, emergency and extended care services. Brookings Hospital provides local access to doctors in Brookings and offers robotic da Vinci surgery and Mako robotic-arm assisted procedures, making it one of the premier rural community hospitals in South Dakota. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.