Weekly Capitol Report

Soon senior citizens across our congressional district will be receiving information about Medicare Open Enrollment. During this two month enrollment period, current Medicare beneficiaries can alter their coverage plans and new beneficiaries can sign up for a Medicare plan for the first time. Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15th and closes December 7th. During Open Enrollment, beneficiaries will have the opportunity to:

• Change to a Medicare Advantage Plan or select a different plan that better meets your needs;
• Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan;
• Change your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Open Enrollment is an important time for seniors to make sure they have the Medicare plan that best suits their individual needs. Navigating any federal program can be daunting, and my staff and I are here to assist with this process. By visiting www.medicare.gov or calling 1-800-MEDICARE, you learn about the various plans Medicare offers. Should you encounter difficulties in this process, I encourage you to contact one of my district offices. You may call my Cape Girardeau office at 573-335-0101, Farmington at 573-756-9755, Rolla at 573-364-2455, or West Plains at 417-255-1515.

Our Eighth Congressional District is home to many senior citizens who rely on Medicare for medical and prescription needs. I understand the importance of Medicare in seniors’ daily lives, as both of my parents are Medicare recipients. Since my election to Congress, I have worked to keep the promise of Medicare to our seniors. Moving forward, I will continue efforts to improve seniors’ access to Medicare and fight any actions to deny care or change benefits for our Greatest Generation. 

Seniors who have worked hard their entire lives and paid into Medicare and Social Security deserve the best options possible. Please know that my staff and I are here to help you and we hope you will contact us if we may be of assistance. 

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