APPRISE Volunteers Mobilize for Medicare Open Enrollment

A dedicated cadre of 34 Montgomery County APPRISE volunteers swings into action this month when Medicare Open Enrollment sends seniors searching for help. Coordinated by RSVP, the volunteers provide assistance in signing up for and switching Medicare plans. Open Enrollment runs from October 15 - December 7 each year.

Federally and State funded, APPRISE provides free Medicare and Medicaid enrollment help. Open Enrollment is their busiest time, but the volunteers provide year-around services at 27 Montgomery County sites and via a hotline, 610-834-1040, ext. 120. Counselors typically respond to calls within 2 to 3 days, according to RSVP APPRISE co-coordinator Donna Uhler.

Sorting it Out

First-time Medicare enrollees may choose between original Medicare — which includes Part A (hospital), Part B (medical) and Part D (prescription drug) insurance — or Medicare Advantage, which usually includes all three types of coverage. During Open Enrollment, seniors who already have Medicare can change plans.

If seniors choose original Medicare, they usually select from a variety of Medicare supplemental or “Medigap” plans, which cover medical expenses that Medicare doesn’t. They also should select a provider for prescription drug coverage under Part D.

“If you are over 65 and have just left private insurance, if you don’t enroll in Part B within the timeframe for it, you can incur penalties added to your premium for the rest of your life,” suggested Uhler. “If you don’t sign up for Part D, the prescription drug plans, the penalty becomes one percent per month of the base premium, which can double your premium after 10 years.”

“The penalties scare people. And learning the terms, figuring out the issues people run into can seem overwhelming,” she said. “That’s where we provide help.”

Getting Up to Speed

What does it take to become an APPRISE volunteer? “Once you’ve talked to RSVP and decide to participate, you train online,” said Barbara Rutberg, an APPRISE counselor. “There are ten training modules, each followed by a multiple choice test. You have to score better than 80 percent. Then you attend two full-day seminars that are held at various locations throughout the area.”

“Then there’s a state test,” said volunteer Trish Crump. “It’s open book and you get three tries. You’re free to use course materials, Google and other resources. You don’t have to have all the knowledge in your head, you have to be able to find it, know where to look or who to call.”

Next, newly trained volunteers go to a community site with a veteran APPRISE counselor, first observing and then counseling with the experienced volunteer observing. “They help you out,” said volunteer Craig Soloff. “You just get to the point where you’re ready to jump in with both feet.”

Even then, volunteers sometimes must research questions and get back to clients. They can draw on co-coordinators Uhler and Scherri Roberts, as well as the network of fellow volunteers and numerous online resources. Monthly seminars and an annual meeting update volunteers with new information from Medicare and insurers.

Once trained, volunteers offer counseling as little as once a month but more typically once or twice a week for three to four hours. During quiet periods some volunteers participate from home, answering hotline questions.

One Client’s Experience

Theresa Purser, who moved to Montgomery County shortly before her 65th birthday last year, found herself alone in a new area with no support network.

“I started receiving tons of stuff in the mail about different Medicare plans,” she said. “I was starting to panic because I didn’t know what was going on. I heard on a Lansdale radio station that you could call the PA Department of the Aging with Medicare questions.” The Department of Aging routed Purser to APPRISE counselors Crump and Soloff at the Peak Center in Lansdale.

“I thought it would take a couple of days but they called me immediately and I’ve seen them three times,” said Purser. “I was nervous about everything. They calmed me down. They helped me go off Medicaid and onto Medicare. Trish helped me get onto a prescription drug plan. With Medicare supplemental, they told me what the options mean. They’re not allowed to recommend an insurer but they told me what price range to expect.”

With this knowledge, Purser found a Medicare supplemental provider through eHealth. “It was easy. I went to them already armed with information.”