Brookings Health to Host Free, Understanding Medicare Sessions in September

To help prepare area Medicare beneficiaries for 2024 open enrollment, Brookings Health System will host four sessions of the free Understanding Medicare seminar.

“Brookings Health is hosting this seminar to help current Medicare beneficiaries and people who will soon be Medicare eligible to learn about the differences between plans and find the one that best meets their needs,” said Chief Financial Officer Melissa Wagner.

Two sessions will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Two additional sessions will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. All sessions will be held at Brookings Hospital, Conference Room A.

The program is recommended for individuals nearing age 65 of their initial enrollment period or those who plan to re-enroll in 2024. Information offered will help Medicare beneficiaries make an informed decision prior to the 2024 Medicare open enrollment period, Oct. 15 - Dec. 7.

“Recently Brookings Health alerted area Medicare beneficiaries that as of 2024, we will no longer be in-network for any Medicare Advantage plan, including the three plan providers we signed participation agreements with in previous years,” said Wagner. “Some Medicare Advantage plans have narrowed provider networks and other Medicare Advantage plans do not restrict beneficiaries’ access to providers or hospitals. Understanding Medicare will help people know what questions to ask as they look at plans and consider their options.”

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). In addition, Brookings Health System representatives will be on hand to help answer questions which plans Brookings Health participates in.

Seating is limited. To register, please visit www.brookingshealth.org/Medicare or call (605) 696-8030.

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 & Optical, 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.